Foolin' the World
by peacecheech
Summary: At a rehab center life is as bad as it gets. So when bad boy Troy Bolton falls head over heels for tortured Gabriella Montez, he'll do anything to make her admit she loves him back. Together, he says, they can get out, be free and do anything, be anything
1. Prologue

**A/N:** first fanfiction, please be tough! (I thought I'd put a spin on that please be nice stuff) but seriously, give me your honest opinions! Constructive criticism, thoughts, feedback, reviews are all heavenly :D any questions I'll be more than glad to answer, unless it gives away the story ;) thanks for giving up your time to read my story! And if u like it, spread the word. this is just a prologue, the first chapter should be up soon

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. i do not own the _Broken Wing_ series either.

**Title**: Foolin' the World

Prologue:

Willow Oak Clinic… it's where troubled kids from all places of the country are sent to be straightened out, it's where they learn discipline in the harshest of ways, it's where they learn responsibility in the cruelest of ways… it's where hell began.

Each member has their own story, their own reasons as to why they're there, why they did what they did, and their own twisted life. Some are mean…angry, while some are sad and depressed. Others were impulsive…and wild…and even a few were there by pure misfortune. They're so different, yet so the same, because almost all of them…were misunderstood. But at Willow Oak Clinic, none of that mattered. No one's reasoning and feelings were taken into consideration. At that particular rehab center everything was black and white. You do the crime you do the time, isn't that how the saying goes? At this place the words why and how didn't exist…it was plain and simple…you got one chance at happiness; one chance at your life and the members who were there blew it big time.

The clinic had one goal in mind for these disturbed kids and followed only one path to get them there. And that was to become what the clinic saw as the ideal person, the "perfect" being. They were to behave just as a Willow Oak instructor and coach would, as every doctor that worked there. They were being transformed into loyal followers and exact replicas of Dr. Sloane.

She was the founder, the educator and the "all knowing." But to the attendants of the clinic, she was the devil itself. Her combination of traditional and severe religious punishments left clinic residents in a state of panic, which ultimately led to their obedience, their cooperation. Just what Ms. Sloane sought after, what she worked kids at the clinic bone dry for, and what she usually, in the end, received...their unhindered loyalty and indisputable faith in her. She was simply brainwashing them.

For most kids there, they followed every rule and every order, they climbed up in levels in hopes to escape this hellhole. But those kids, they were just getting caught under the massive web of lies the clinic fed to every parent, every official, and to any questioning person. The clinic was the opposite of what every parent thought, they assumed it was saving their children from insanity and death. When in numerous cases, the kids ended up worse than they were when they came in. They ended up mindless, just following the ways of Sloane's teachings, which in many cases caused death for other people, which in return caused death for those brainwashed children.

Why and mostly how? No one really knows, but as with all unsolved mysteries in life, rumors spread.

Unfortunately for a particular group at Oak Clinic…they no longer have to question whether to believe those rumors…they no longer have to guess…because they've witnessed the truth. The truth, something everyone at the clinic craved for, the so-called truth that Dr. Sloane fed to her students and their parents, a truth that as humans, everyone feels obliged to know. But now they wish they had never found out. They struggle under the burden of knowing the true truth, just saying such a redundant phrase proved how deceiving the clinic was, how it hurt instead of helped. How a sadistic woman's views and own dark past was influencing the next generation, the future of this "corrupted world."

Every member of Willow Oak Clinic played society in some way or another. Most would do just about anything to get out of there…but for six misunderstood newcomers, they won't leave Willow Oak until it stops…

Foolin' the World.

**Review, Review, Review 33**

**Any questions or comments, don't hesitate to talk to me )  
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	2. The First Day of My Life

**A/N: **chapter 1 is up and running! Tell me what you think pretty please! The names aren't mentioned purposefully, but I bet u guys can guess who's who :) feedback would be wonderful, along with telling friends if u like it :D

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing related to High School Musical, Disney, or _Broken Wings_. Any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either

**Title: **Foolin' the World

The First Day of My Life:

The wind was strong, the sky was grey, and the miles of barren land was almost too fitting as the stereotypical setting for a place of suffering. The place of suffering, it was a four story building with a tall white fence surrounding it, leaving enough yard space in-between for two pools to fit comfortably next to each other. Although, the pools were non-existent, merely a common fantasy for the inhabitants of this grand building, far too rich with it's brick structure and white window frames to be settled in such a wasteland. A series of barns, or shacks as the attendants of this building found more fitting, were found at the rear of the edifice, outside of the 9-foot fence. They, unlike the scenery, did not follow the guidelines for typical barns. Six in total, all of them merely wooden panels nailed to one another, no trace of red paint could be found among the frameworks and not one white-painted window was found. The only thing that could possibly confirm the "barn" title were the incessant supply of hay, stacked to the left of every barn. To the right of the main building, far from the likes of the fence, was a superb looking house a safe distance away, maybe a full two buildings of feet from the enclosed institution. The institution, the center, the dread of so many children, so many teenagers, and even the dread of a few adults, it was Willow Oak Clinic, the rehabilitation center for troubled youngsters, the terror for misunderstood kids.

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"Get up and get going!" A strong, bitter voice consumed the anything but peaceful slumber of a sixteen-year-old girl. Naturally fluttering her eyes open in a way that would have guys gawking; she sat up allowing her long mane of black curls to fall down, past her shoulders.

"Where am I?" the girl lazily replied as she opened her eyes fully to reveal a pool of coffee brown orbs.

"No questions, just follow me and quickly!" the rushed voice of a sour twenty or so girl answered, not giving her time to reply by roughly pulling her out of her seat in the small plane and shoving her down the three steps that opened to miles and miles of hard rock and sand.

Preparing for the sudden light that she assumed would hit her, seeing as it was early morning, the girl squinted her eyes only to find that a series of clouds embraced the sky shielding the sun. The slender, petite girl scoped the area as she followed the lead of the harsh older girl, making their way to what she could make out as a fence, surrounding a large, impressive building. And that's when it hit her. She knew where she was.

"Willow Oak Clinic…" the girl whispered as she and her guide stopped at the wired fence, the guide taking out a set of keys, a set of keys that would open the gateway to hell.

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_Change of PoV:_

I sat in a hard wooden chair, staring somewhat rudely at the twenty something year old guy who brought me here. He was just standing a couple feet in front of me, staring as well, but thankfully not at me, how weird would that be? Guy on guy gaping? No, it was like he was daydreaming, but without the expression of a typical daydreamer. He seemed focused, too serious, as if he broke the trance that he was in, he would never get it back.

Next to "my" hard ass were four more; yeah you guessed it, four more hard asses. Two more guys and two girls, kind of hot, why couldn't they be my babysitter? But I guess they each had their own kid to harass, because sitting in chairs across from them, next to me, were four kids my age. I couldn't see them; they were hidden behind some guy's Afro sitting to my left. As I walked in I did see each kid's face. It was kind of amusing, witnessing the distress in this cute black girl's face, the smirk and was that anticipation? that covered the features of some hot dirty blonde, the anxiety that was turning the color of a blonde guy's face white, and then the "I don't care" expression of Afro kid's dark features. I wonder what I'm coming across as...

Nobody was talking, either from fear or worry of breaking the rules, well either way, that wasn't who I was, "Hey! What's going on? I was sent here to "straighten myself up" and I don't see that happening. That is, unless you tightwads plan on turning me into a hard ass too by sitting in this damn chair for so fucking long." I saw the jaw clench on my babysitter and smirked, it was seeing the reactions of my "victims" that were the rewards of my actions.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Afro boy fighting to stifle a laugh, I did like his "I could give a crap" attitude, maybe he'll make this boring place a little more fun. But I spoke too soon as before my babysitter could reprimand me, the door to the small waiting room we were locked in opened, first revealing another good looking twenty year old girl, and then… the most stunning girl I had ever seen. If my breath had ever hitched in my throat before, it probably would have for this exotic beauty with her long dark wavy hair, and long legs walked past me, proud but at the same time hesitant. Taking the seat to my right that was a foot away from me, as were all the chairs, I noticed the way her legs immediately crossed, as well as her arms.

Feeling my hard gaze on her, she stole a quick sideways glance at me, before she returned her eyes back to her own scrooge.

"Good you're all here, we'll inform Dr. Sloane, feel free to talk amongst yourselves." And with that all six similarly dressed clones walked out of the office-sized room. Running a hand through my brown hair and letting out a long awaited sigh while shutting my eyes, I didn't realize until they left how tense the air had been.

"Nice going! I mean, seriously! Don't you think we're all in enough trouble as it is?! Just for the fact that we're HERE!? God! Just keep your mouth shut next time until she at least leaves the room!"

I opened my eyes to find that cute African American girl standing in front of me, her mad face only enhancing her features; "You're kinda cute when you're mad."

Letting out a sound of aggravation she continued her rant, "You're so much like him!! You're a flirt and you never think before you talk! It's a good thing you're here! You probably need this place more than any one of us in this room!"

Now mad, I stood up abruptly, not caring that she took a nervous step back. I completely brushed aside my confusion as to who "him" was, I was too infuriated. I hated judgmental people, more than I hated the fact that I was here. "Hey! Who do you think you are!? You don't know me! So maybe I deserve to be here, you're here, that means you deserve it too!"

Her mouth opened to retaliate, but before she could, the beauty to my right intervened without even looking at us, "Knock it off guys. You're right. We all deserve to be here. So let's just learn from them, from this."

That was a turn off. It was like she _wanted _to be here. Just as I was about to confront her about it, the pretty blonde beat me to it.

"Learn from this?! Your kidding, right!? Jesus, you actually want to _learn _from THIS!?

Facing the blonde that was now standing from her seat as well, the beauty once again replied calmly while seated, "Yeah, that's exactly right. I want to learn from this. They're job is to help me, help us, so we should let them."

At that I turned to look at her, lowering my head to fully see her as I was still standing. She was so serene, so calm and reasonable…

Why was she here anyways?

_Knock Knock_

The door opened and a tall middle-aged woman entered. Her hair was graying, but the dark brown strands that were up in a tight bun probably would have covered that if she let it down. A small, sincere smile was on her face, but I knew better than to take a smile as sincere at first look.

"Hello, students. My name is Dr. Sloane. Welcome to Willow Oak Clinic. Let's get started shall we?"

I guess I was about to find out.

**A/N: please review! Bad, good, I was eating a granola bar while reading this, whatever. Ya so, once again, please review. it'll get more humorous, intense, lovvvveyyy (haha) as the story goes on. U know the "first chapter is boring" crap… well, ya that applies to this story 2. I promise it'll get more interesting. But tell me what u guys' liked/didnt like about it so I can make the next chapters better and more enjoyable!**

**Any questions/comments/specific things u want to happen between characters u can talk to me here!**


	3. Let's Get it Started

**A/N: **alrighty, chapter 2 is here! Now the rest is the usual author note junk, review please, feedback is great, and if u like it please tell others to check it out :) oh & read my a/n at the end if u wanna play a part in the story :P

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing related to High School Musical, Disney, or _Broken Wings_. Any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either

**Title: **Foolin' the World

Let's Get It Started:

The six teenagers were seated at a rectangular table. Three boys on one side and the three girls across from them, while Dr. Sloane took her lead at head of the table. A decent sized book was placed in front of each, the words written across the front of it scaring, entertaining, and pleasing some. "A New Start, A New Life, A Changed World."

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I was sitting in a room that reminded me a lot of my dad's office back home. The table we were sitting at was a dark oak and many artworks were evident along the navy walls. Across from me was a good looking African American boy with bushy hair, blocking the view of desert I could have witnessed from the window behind him. Next to him was Ryan Evans, a nice blonde who introduced himself to me, as we were led in here. Then on the other side of the boy across from me, was a gorgeous guy, whose deep blue eyes wouldn't stop looking at me. Or maybe they were looking at the girl to my right? She was gorgeous, long dirty-blonde hair and a striking face. She was staring past Ryan, as he was across from her, probably looking out the window. The African American girl who caused some trouble with blue eyes before was to my left, across from blue eyes himself. I could sense the daggers she was sending him despite being the closest to Dr. Sloane. What reason did she have to hate him so much? None of us knew each other here, did we? Basically, this seating was very poorly planned. In front of the books with a promising title, were nametags, designating our seating arrangements. Our own names faced ourselves so I still had nothing better to call these people other than blue eyes and bush hair.

I decided to meet blue eyes' consistent stare, just to find that his attention was now on his copy of the book. As I watched those amazing eyes skim over the title, I was able to see his tempting lips part to make a dry, harsh laugh, clearly finding the book's title funny instead of promising, like I had.

"Ah, thank you for volunteering, Mr. Bolton," I turned my attention to Dr. Sloane… Bolton? Was that blue eyes' last name? "We can start with you."

Showing an arrogant smirk, Bolton leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head, while putting his feet on the table. "Of course we'll start with me, _everybody does_." At the last part he turned to look at me for a second while raising his eyebrows and then his eyes wandered to the left to wink at the pretty blonde, I turned quickly enough to see her smiling flirtatiously.

Dr. Sloane continued, ignoring Bolton's posture and smart remark, "Troy Bolton of Rochester. A common misfit, known for "borrowing" without asking, vandalizing as well as trespassing on property, crashing mature parties, gambling, and pulling harmful pranks with a gang you not only became involved with, but also eventually led into prison. You're here because your foster parents finally realized it was time for you to receive the help you needed after a prank went too far," Sloane paused and examined the hard stare, and cold look Troy was giving her and then replied in a sickening sweet voice, "If you find something wrong with what I'm saying, please tell me."

Troy placed his feet back on the ground and brought his arms onto the table, resting on it, obviously preparing for another confrontation. I looked at Sloane, waiting to see what her reaction would be to his inevitable comment.

"Damn straight I find something _wrong _with what you're saying! What's wrong is that you're sharing what I find personal information to five strangers! I know what I did, you don't have to tell it to me or them!"

Dr. Sloane didn't even flinch at Troy's outburst, "You're right Mr. Bolton. It is wrong that _I_ am the one who has to share this information with five people you have yet to officially meet. When the truth is that you should be the one sharing your past, accepting what you did and coming to reason with it." At that, Troy immediately scoffed. "But I understand how you feel, so why don't you introduce yourself to your classmates, tell them who _you_ think you are as a person."

Instead of following her suggestion, Troy scoffed once more, "_Classmates?_"

"Yes, classmates," Dr. Sloane then turned her attention to all of us in the room, "From here on, all six of you will be classmates, students. You're here to learn after all, so I find the word 'students' fitting. Now since Mr. Bolton feels obliged to remain silent on matters he should not be silent on, how about you start, Ms. Montez?"

At hearing my name, I quickly look up and clear my throat, "_Me_?" Dr. Sloane merely nodded and I glanced around the table. First at Troy who was smirking slightly while assertively meeting my gaze, then at the boy across from me who's facial expressions hadn't changed at all these past seven minutes, then at Ryan who was giving me an encouraging smile. I felt the gape of the blonde fixated on me and then looked to my left to find the African American girl giving me a questioning look as well.

"So I just introduce myself?" Another nod. "Well, my name's Gabriella Montez, I grew up in North Carolina," I followed Dr. Sloane's previous introduction template, "and I'm here because…" that's when I trailed off. I couldn't let them know why I was here! I feel bad for Troy, being so bluntly outted like that but… the reason I'm here isn't like his reason. It's much worse.

At my silence, everyone in the room raised their eyebrows, growing even more curious. I could feel the heat rush up to my face, I had never been one to crack under pressure… but lately I had been cracking a lot.

Thankfully, the door to Dr. Sloane's office opened, revealing my rescuer, "Dr. Sloane? Cross and Baylor are at it again. In the cafeteria," my guide informed the brown, aging woman from the doorway. I would have to remember to be nice to her. For as long as it takes, that is.

"Very well, I'll go handle that." She turned to us, "I expect you all to introduce yourselves properly. Follow Ms. Montez's example. I don't want to witness any of the antics like the ones you showed back in the waiting room." She smiled as all of our eyes widened, surprised and wondering how much she had seen or known. "Once you have introduced yourselves, turn to the inside cover of your book. The rest will take its place." And with that she exited the room.

The rest will take its place? What'd that mean?

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_Troy's PoV:_

"Good! The old lady is gone! I'm getting outta here!"

Immediately, I spoke up, making a total count of two concerning my confrontations with this black girl. "Not a good idea. You think you're the only one to ever want to leave this place? Hell, I'd be right with ya if they probably didn't have way intense punishments for the idiots who try to leave."

"That would mean those _idiots _got caught. I can take care of myself now! I know what's best for myself now! And that is not _me, ME_, _Taylor MCKESSIE _rotting away in some clinic."

"Cut the crap!"

Shocked at the voice that pulled the words right out of my head, I turned to see Afro boy staring defiantly at Ms. Mouth who apparently had a name, Taylor.

"_Excuse me!?"_

"Cut.the.crap," he said slowly this time, I snickered, liking this guy's personality.

"Who are you to tell me what to do!? Who is this old hag to tell me what to do!? Nobody tells me what to do!! I'm NEVER listening to ANYONE other than myself again!" The girl was hysteric. I don't think I've ever seen someone get so worked up before…well that was a lie.

"I'd think twice before you mouth off again. Didn't you hear Sloane? She knew about your bitchy behavior back in the waiting _chamber_. She'll probably know about this too." This time it was that blonde girl speaking up. Nice.

"'Sloane said this' 'Sloane said that.' WhatEVER! I just need to get out of here, away from you people and fast!"

"I agree with…her," blonde boy stated, ignoring Taylor and hooking his thumb to the other blonde across from him, "This Sloane woman knows what's up, it is her clinic after all. So let's just listen to her, do what she says, alright?"

This could be fun, hearing what these kids did to get sucked into this place. Maybe I could hear Gabriella speak her sexy voice again. "Fine. We'll do what she says, for now anyways. So why don't you start Blondie? What's your name?"

I patiently waited for a reaction from Blondie at my rudeness, and I got it. Rolling his eyes, he conveniently avoided me, while answering. "Ryan Evans, I'm from Jersey." As he finished, I couldn't help but notice the way his eyes landed on Gabriella. What the hell?

"Jersey? Cool, I'm from Pennsylvania. Chad Danforth." Afro Chad, huh? Awesome. "So Troy, Ryan, Taylor, Gabriella… that leaves you," Chad stated, pointing at the person who's name he said and finally settling on Goldie Locks.

"Sharpay Summers. Born and raised in Georgia," she said it with confidence, she knew she was hot. Just like every girl I knew back in Rochester, New York, but judging from her clothes she wasn't as poor as they, and I, am.

"Nice to finally know all your names. Now, I guess we should open our books," I didn't have to look up to know who was talking. The beauty, Gabriella Montez. One, her voice was unmistakable, evoking pure joy within me. Wait…her voice did _what _to me?! Two, she was following the rules…again.

Standing up, while laughing I plopped down in Sloane's seat at head of the table and ignored the disgust Taylor sent me since I just got a foot closer to her. Putting on the sweetest smile I could muster without gagging, I cleared my throat, preparing for my exaggerated Sloane impersonation, "Right, my students, my students! Let us open up our books, let us open up the doors to a bright future. With this commencement we will start the journeys to a well-adjusted life, a life of boredom and asses of steel! So open your books, and let the amendments begin!"

Gabriella was the first to laugh at my imitation, the others immediately joining, even Ms. Mouth. If a bystander had been present, they could have mistook this as a group of _friends_ getting together for a sort of _gathering _or _reunion_. That'd be a first for me. Nevertheless, the "group bonding" was ended abruptly.

"What the hell?" Sharpay had opened her book. "Suicidal?" She looked up at us in a frenzy, "I am NOT suicidal!"

"Sure as hell ain't. You definitely look like a girl who wants a good time, not someone who would want her hot face hidden by some coffin." I responded by habit. Realizing I might be blowing my chances with this Montez girl, I looked over at her, but instead of my heart skipping a beat (another unusual feeling) like it did all the other times I gazed upon her olive skin, it sank.

She was as white as a sheet of paper. Sending her inquiring eyes, I think I was the only one who noticed her reaction (one of my many strong points), seeing as everyone else decided to investigate the inside cover of their books.

"Drug addict…"

"Crook…"

"Convict…"

"Assailant?"

Raising my eyebrows at the last one, voiced by Ryan, curiosity took over my body and I reached over to slide my book to my new seat, opening it in the process. "Alcoholic." I shrugged at the assumption while glancing around the table, "I've had some drinks before...obviously, but I'm not an alcoholic."

Chad spoke up, shutting his book in a haste, "And I'm not a drug addict." Everyone looked at each other with similar widened eyes. "Guess Sloane doesn't have all her facts straight like we thought."

"She almost has them straight… _I'm_ the drug addict."

Surprised, I followed everyone's example and stared in bewilderment at Ryan. I tried to remember all the words said and came across the one I assumed was meant for me. "Convict…that'd be me." Automatically smirking at the end I looked over, once again, to the girl who seemed to bring out weird feelings in me. However, Gabriella's beautiful brown eyes, her feature I was most anticipating, were staring down. What was up with her?

Chad took a deep breath before he came clean, I could tell he was ashamed. "I'm the crook." Gabriella lifted her head long enough to give Chad a sweet smile of support. She must have sensed his shame, like I had. Well, that would've been cute, if she had done that when I owned up.

"You said alcoholic Troy?"

Forced to avert my eyes from the black haired beauty to the pretty blonde, my smirk if anything widened at the possibility, "Yeah, that you?"

She nodded.

As if on cue, Taylor opened her smart mouth once more, "So what is this _confession time_ or something!? Sorry, but I don't have to be here! I don't have to tell you what I did!"

"You know, there's only two choices left. Assailant and suicidal. All Gabriella over there needs to do is say which one she is and boom…we know which one you are."

Taylor's face automatically fell at my suggestion. Troy-1, Taylor-0. The pride I felt over my victory, thankfully, made me forget about the excitement I felt at how smooth Gabriella's name rolled off my tongue. But in a matter of seconds, Gabriella brought those feelings back 10x stronger. My heart picked up, going at a rate faster than when I played my best game of basketball, the nerves in my body were going haywire, like when I'd pull a stunt with my gang, the room's temperature seemed to burn through my body, like the time I was waiting behind bars for my one phone call. And all she did was say my name.

"Troy you're right, but…I don't think I'm gonna say which one I am either."

"What!? Ms. Follow the Rules, isn't _following the rules_!?" Sharpay. I could hit her for being such a bitch to Gabriella. Was that weird? I didn't even know Gabriella, I haven't had a single conversation with her yet.

"All Dr. Sloane said was to open our books. Mine's open. And you can quit talking down to me like that, just like you did while we were waiting…just cause I want to do this right. I figure…if I do everything they tell me to do, I can go home, I can go home fixed."

There it was again. Her calm response. In a way it reminded me of Sloane's reactions, but it wasn't forced. It was natural, the way nothing seemed to faze her, and nothing seemed to get under her skin. She just seemed so put together, but she did have a reason why she was here.

Assailant or suicidal?

Sharpay was still going at her. Something about how she agreed to come here so she could find fun people, people who broke the rules, not followed them. And again, Gabriella would just respond coolly, but not without getting her point across strongly and clearly. She was so proud, but in a non-arrogant way. She didn't even blush at the way I stared at her all day, she even met my gaze a few times, and nothing…No girl before had stayed that, unaffected, at my attention. Was she _that _composed?

Still, I saw the way she responded to suicidal…did that mean? No, she couldn't be. All my life I've been forced to analyze people, see what their hidden intentions were, unless I wanted to end up in jail with a death sentence, or with less than I already had. I would always examine people's reactions, so I'm an expert at studying people. My pastime was making people _feel_ something, whether it was anger or pleasure, it didn't matter.

Because…all my life…I _couldn't_ feel, I _can't_ feel. I learned at a young age it was better to stay distant, because if you became close, you'd just end up crushed in the end. That's how it's always been in my life. You couldn't get close to foster parents or their kids. They'd just abandon you at your first screw up. You couldn't get close to peers. They're always in it for personal gain, since they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. You couldn't get close to girls…they were all wild, all over the place, not knowing what to do with themselves in a neighborhood like that. Other than get with guys, who in return, made them feel important and worthwhile.

So I ditched that sensitive guy my mom always said I was. I forgot him when she forgot me, and became hard, in order to survive. And I got by, by seeing how other people worked, how _they_ felt. How, even though I couldn't feel anymore, I could still make other people feel. I was still human that way.

Now, Gabriella, she was so serene, so peaceful, and calm. She was beautiful but didn't seem to care about that, or use it for anything. She was sweet, that much was obvious. Smart and brave too, I could tell by all her self-assured retorts to Sharpay's accusations. Nothing seemed to get to her, she didn't get worked up at anything Sharpay was accusing her of, and so she couldn't be…suicidal. Could she?

Gabriella Montez…she's a mystery.

I plan to solve.

**A/N: tell me what u liked and didn't like so I can keep improving the next chapters!**

**Also if you want anything specific to happen, any ideas for the characters like who u want to be a couple and such, or any appearances by other characters/actors tell me and I'll try to get it into my storyline somehow!**

**U can tell me your ideas on here, or on my youtube account peacecheech1 (where you'll find a trailer for Foolin' the World) **


	4. Misery Business

**A/N:** thank u for the few that reviewed!! i appreciate it! and i know u might not like this chapter but i promise alot of troy/gabriella moments will happen!! now that all the rules/intros are outta the way, itll get a whole lot more interesting and intense! so please stick around and dont give up on me! i'm new at this :) Review ;)

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing related to High School Musical, Disney, or _Broken Wings. _Any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either

**Title: **Foolin' the World

Misery Business:

_Gabriella's PoV:_

Sharpay wouldn't stop her constant remarks towards me, no matter what I said in return. Obviously she wasn't a fan of the good girl. Sometimes, I wasn't a fan of myself either. But all I wanted was to be able to go home, to have my mom look at me with pride again, not the repulsion that so repeatedly crashed my world each day. And to go home, I had to do what Dr. Sloane said. Didn't these kids realize that yet?

"Ms. Summers, take a seat." I was so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't even noticed Dr. Sloane enter the room. Troy was still in her seat from when he performed his act and looked up at her with anticipation. He was funny, of course he was gorgeous too, but the thing that intrigued me the most about him was that he never seemed to get frightened, not even worried…about anything.

"Ah, the queen has arrived. I guess her highness would like her throne back huh?"

He was smirking, again. Is that the only function his mouth knew how to do? He was anticipating her next move, and I could feel that everyone else in the room was as well. Just how strict _was _this Dr. Sloane?

Not once since I had "met" Troy this morning had I seen anything but arrogance or amusement in his ocean blue eyes. Until now.

Dr. Sloane slowly but deliberately raised her arm, and in one swift motion, she slapped Troy across his cheek. The movement made Troy's head spin to the side, only giving me a fleeting glance at the shock written in his cobalt orbs.

"What the fuck!? You just SLAPPED me!" He stood up and came toe to toe with Dr. Sloane, the shock replaced with pure rage.

"_You_ were being insolent!" her voice was hard, cold, just like Troy's stare, "From now on you be silent!! Learn control. And _never _speak unless I ask you a question. I am the first to realize that you students act from anger, depression, and most of all fear. And I work with that, instead of against it. I took you in thanks to the mercy of our court system. You have a second chance _at life_. Rather than trying to think of wisecracks, you should begin to show some appreciation!"

Troy walked back to his seat…_laughing_. Dr. Sloane merely gaped at his retreating figure, standing tall, adjacent to her seat, or "throne" as Troy had so curtly put it. There was no sound in the room, just Troy's hilarity. If anything, his dry, detached laughter made this whole situation that much more fearsome. All eyes were on him and Dr. Sloane, wide, alarmed, and curious.

Through his relentless laughter Troy spoke, "Was that your segway? Are you gonna drone on about the rules now? Go for it Sloaner, maybe they'll be more impressionable than that pansy slap you just gave me."

I kind of wanted to drop an anvil on Troy. He had to be noticing the way Dr. Sloane was glowering at him right now. She didn't just want to drop an anvil on him, she wanted to do something more slow, more agonizing. And I was afraid for him…for me, for every kid here.

"Troy…it's your turn to cut the crap." Chad mumbled, while wiping his hand over his mouth to try and hide it. But Troy only flicked his eyes over to Chad for a moment, before returning them back to Dr. Sloane with that too familiar look of eagerness flowing all around him.

"Do you want me to cut my crap too, Sloane? Or...you could always just expel me from this 'school'."

"I _could_ expel you couldn't I? I could send you home, just for you to get in more trouble, so much that next time you're locked away in a room, there will be no hope of you getting out. In other words, Mr. Bolton, you have no future. You've been brought here to regain one. Until that happens, you, all of you, are nobodies. You don't live for your families, or yourselves. In fact, all you've accomplished up until now is ruining your potential filled lives. Under my care, you will develop the ability to gain a future or if you so choose, be thrown to the side of society like any nuisance, any trash would. The choice is ultimately yours to make, but, we will do our best here to reborn you all into a citizen."

Troy simply narrowed his eyes further, "Reborn? So, what, does that make you God or something?"

At that, Dr. Sloane smiled, "Yes, in a way. While you are here, you will be learning from me, you will put your faith in my ways, and myself, because that is the only way you will survive in this world. By following the rules, and I've set the rules out for you here."

Taylor cut Troy off, and this time I was glad she did, "And how long are we going to be here?"

Breaking her stare with Troy, Dr. Sloane smiled sweetly at Taylor, "Excellent question, Ms. Mckessie. As the bible says, 'there's a time for everything.' Which means, the time you learn to behave and conduct yourselves properly, is the time you may graduate my school. You'll find that with the right attitude, it goes by rather quickly and painlessly. The rewards at the end are pleasing as well, many of my students have gone on to be doctors, and teachers. Even some have become very successful law enforcers. Lawyers, police officers, you have much to look forward to."

"Oh hell yes! A future as a policeman!! I'm _definitely _gonna behave now! You really _are _God, Ms. Sloane! You're making my dreams come freakin' true!!"

"Troy, just _shut _up!"

Holy shit. That was my voice. And that was Troy staring incredulously at me. I can't believe I just said that.

In a fright I hesitantly glimpsed at Dr. Sloane, but instead of a harsh reprimand, I was welcomed with a smile…of pride? "It's alright, Ms. Montez. However, I do commend you for speaking up for what is right."

"So _she _gets _commended _for speaking up and I get _slapped_!?" Troy held his hands up in defense, "I'm sorry… I take that back. You're not God. God's fair."

"_God_, Mr. Bolton, gives out what is deserved. You six unfortunately do not deserve anything but punishment and lessons. You all start now, at Level 1. Repentance for your sins and your crimes. It is not possible to feel anything but disgust for what is not wholesome. So, all of you have one last chance to become wholesome, to gain back the respect people have lost in you, and you have unconsciously lost in yourselves."

"Level 1?"

"That's right, Mr. Evans. There are 6 levels at my school. Level 1 is where you are now. Let me start by saying you're not going to a school any way like your previous ones. First off, at my school you will participate in daily chores."

"Oh, so we're really a form of cheap labor?" Troy complained.

"Hardly cheap. For your services, we will provide full room and board, as well as academics far greater than public school's offer."

"Isn't my dad paying you?" Sharpay launched at her, "I shouldn't have to do any chores."

"Yes in some cases, your families are paying, but there is much more that will be given to you than you would get anywhere else for that amount of money. Such as my expert treatment, my therapy sessions, which have proven to work wonders on troubled youngsters like you. Now, any more talking back, or inappropriate behavior will earn you all a demerit."

"Demerits?" Taylor said smirking, "What, we won't get our Girl Scout patches?"

"No, and next time that will be a negative point Ms. Mckessie. See, you are all as of now under my merit system. Since you have all been brought here for unseemly reasons, you will all start with a minus ten and work your way back up to zero before you can even hope to achieve rights and privileges. Each of you has a chance to earn merit points, positive points. By good behavior, good deeds, good attitude, good grades, and good presentation you may earn a merit. A total of 20 merits will give you a chance to raise levels. However, if any one of you breaks any rule I lay out before you, or show insolence in any way, shape, or form, each member of your group will get a demerit. Five demerits in a day or a drop of ten points straight, you will be punished severely."

Sharpay cut in, "I'm sorry, but how is any of this fair!?" She was clearly not sorry.

"You will find that in the end, all of this is fair. Cooperation is key in a world full of people. You must understand how important it is that you get along with each other, with others of different backgrounds. Out there, that's what you must do to be a contributing member of society. However, with that said, self-reliance is essential too. We can work together, but we can't become totally dependent upon others. That is why each of you has the chance to earn individual plus points. In that regard, you may soar above your teammates, but you may not completely leave them behind. Of course, covering a friend's misdemeanor, or just lying, will earn that individual 4 demerits as well as extra hours on the farm. This will eventually create an environment where no one does wrong, and where everyone does things for themselves as well as others."

"Well, personally, I don't deserve to be here! So boost me up to Level One Freakin Hundred and get me outta here!"

Taylor + Troy Danger. Mark that one, on important things I've learned here at Willow Oak Clinic.

"That's a demerit for Group #30. And as I said before, Ms. Mckessie, you must earn 20 plus points to raise a level. Here, at Level 1, you will work in the farm, on the ranch, in the kitchen, and around the school _for_ your guides. They have all graduated my school and deserve some treatment. Out of the work you do, you will get a portion of the food you make, and you may wash your clothes with left over water you use for your guides. Level 2 is where you move on from servants, and onto working for yourselves. At Level 2, students learn the sheer pride that comes with doing respectful, worthwhile things for themselves. Level 3 will allow for leisurely time, with phone, tv, and computers. At Level 4 you may interact with members of the opposite sex during leisure time and one of the two daily group therapy sessions will be replaced with any sports or hobbies you might want to take up at school. Level 5 will permit visiting hours from family and friends, with a guide present. As well as arranging school activities like dances, events, and holiday parties. Finally, at Level 6, you may go home for the holidays, and if those vacations go pleasantly, you may go home permanently at the end of the school year."

Everyone in the room, including myself, was staring at Dr. Sloane, baffled. How long did getting to Level 3, let alone 6, take!?

"I'm afraid you have just missed lunch. Still, you will report to the kitchen immediately and begin washing dishes at your station, as well as stacking them in the cupboards. The girls will wash, not before you scrape off any remnants of food, and the boys will dry and stack. Your group station is labeled #30. 3 sinks, 3 stoves, and below are the supplies you might need. Cupboards where you stack your plates are along the East wall. You will place the dishes in the cupboard labeled 30 as well. Afterwards, you will find your personal guide to escort you to your rooms. You will have 3 other roommates of another group, most likely of a higher level. There, you will take a placement exam to see which class rank you are suitable for. You talk, you fail. Dinner is at six, by then you should have your test finished and placed in the small box nailed outside your door. Those boxes will hold each daily schedule and individual chores as well as a map of the building for you. Today, you will be making spaghetti for your guides, along with everyone else in Level 1. Attending dinner is a requirement, seats are assigned, you will always be placed with one person from your group, but other than that, I expect you to socialize with the others at your table. After dinner, you immediately return back to your rooms, no escort will be provided to dinner or back from, but God will see any misdemeanors and will punish you for them. By tomorrow's morning group therapy session, there is an afternoon one as well, there will be a quiz on the material within those books, so read well."

"This has got to be a joke."

"No, the only jokes around here are your personalities, attitudes, and actions. What you do with your lives is a serious matter. You are bringing yourselves down, and in the end, you'll just bring the world down along with you. But with me here, I can change all that, I can change the world." Dr. Sloane whispered the last part, while her eyes glazed over, picturing an image of herself doing who knows what…but the look that crossed her face sent chills down my spine.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Narrator:_

Gabriella took her spot at the large sink and grimaced as she scraped off the stains of a yellow unidentified substance, which had settled itself quite forcefully in the red clay plates. Turning the water on, she prepared to start washing the cheap dishes when a hand reached out and turned the water back off, resting on the sink handle.

"Hey, Gabriella, right?" She had to swallow the lump that formed in her throat at the sexy voice. Troy Bolton's voice.

"Yeah," after replying half-heartedly Gabriella removed Troy's hand, ignoring the shocks that went through her, and flicked the water on again.

Troy faltered at her nonchalant reply, but regained his composure and charm soon enough. "So where you from again?"

"North Carolina," Gabriella responded while handing him four plates that needed to be dried. Troy stared in bewilderment at Gabriella before he took the plates and awkwardly started to dry them at a leisurely pace.

Troy's deep blues traveled north on Gabriella's body from her feet, pausing at her hips and breasts, and then finally resting on the side of her face, since Gabriella had still yet to look at him. "They sure grow 'em well there."

Smiling slightly at Troy's embarrassing attempts to flirt with her, she once again reacted without getting flustered. "Must be the water."

"Uh, yeah…must be," Troy was beyond confused. Why wasn't she getting excited that _he, _Troy Bolton, the desire of every girl back home, was flirting with her? "So, it sucks that we're at the bottom of the crazy chain here. I thought doing all these dishes would be hell."

"What, you don't do the dishes back home?"

"We don't exactly have the dishes that need washing. Just paper plates. But uh, it's not as bad as it seems. Just like washing dishes isn't… at least with you here, it makes it a lot more…_enjoyable_."

That made Gabriella roll her eyes discretely. Quickly she put on a fake expression of joy and managed a forced rosy voice. "Yeah? You mean it?" Gabriella looked at him with hopeful eyes and an eager smile.

_That's more like it_, Troy thought. Putting down his dishes, he turned his body to face Gabriella head on and placed his arm on the cupboards above them, leaning forward in a suggestive way. He went on in a voice that would have girls begging for just one touch, pleading for one kiss. "Well yeah, I mean you're…"

"I mean it's not the first time I've washed dishes," Gabriella went back to her work after abruptly interrupting Troy in a cheerful voice, "I'd help my mom's maid a lot back home. She had the _best_ advice. She told me not to be swept away by a pretty face and charming words," Troy's face fell and a triumphant smile crept its way onto Gabriella's sweet face, "Anyways, we'd always talk while we did the dishes. So I guess I've grown pretty efficient at it. Here," Gabriella placed one last plate onto Troy's accumulated pile of wet tableware, "don't forget to stack them when you're done."

Troy ran a hand through his soft, chestnut brown hair in puzzlement and frustration, while his eyes flooded with fascination. "But…I…didn't mean……you're leaving?"

"Well, I've washed all the dishes, that _was_ my chore." Gabriella grabbed Troy's barely used towel from his hand that lowered to his side when she had took a step away. While staring right into Troy's eyes that usually dazzled girls, she modestly dried her hands with it, and then promptly threw it back onto the counter in front of Troy before walking off. "Oh and don't forget to read that book by tomorrow, I don't want…"

"Me to get in trouble." Troy smugly intervened, an arrogant sneer overtaking his features despite how his attempts at flirting had just turned out.

But Gabriella simply showed her own confident, amused smile and responded just as haughtily as Troy had before. "_Our group_ to get in trouble." She left Troy with perplexed eyes and an agape mouth. Gabriella casually glanced over her shoulder to meet his eyes and spoke loudly, "Later Bolton."

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Gabriella's PoV:_

"So I saw you talking to that Troy guy."

I turned around to see Sharpay walking swiftly in order to catch up with me. Her guide didn't seem to mind the fact that she was doing so, so I figured I could answer. Now I moved my head slightly to the right, in order to see Sharpay who was walking next to me, behind my own guide. "Yeah, and?"

She smiled, "And!? And!! He's _HOT!_"

Her enthusiasm elicited a much-needed giggle from my lips. "Yeah, that's true, but he's…not my type."

"Oh please. Boys like him are _everyone's _type. Nerdy girls, old girls, pretty girls, pretty _boys_. They're just so attractive, so…do-able!"

A genuine laugh escaped my mouth. Sharpay was smiling too. I guess this was her way of a peace offering. "That's exactly the reason why he's not my type."

"So, then you're not interested?" Taking a left down a corridor labeled girl's dorms, I figured that the right turn would lead to the boy's dorms. Troy's dorm. Wait, why was I thinking of Troy's dorm? Why was I thinking of Troy the flirt? I didn't think of arrogant guys like him, not anymore.

"Sharpay, I see that smile. The minute I say I'm not interested you're going to go after him," I pointed out good-naturedly.

Sharpay shrugged, "Hmm, smart. Guess we have one of those beauty and brains kind of girls in our group."

"As well as the wild beauty."

Sharpay jokingly put her hand to her heart feigning flattery. "Don't forget the beauty the bitch."

Before I could respond to that my guide stopped. It was a plain white door with the number 11 painted in black a foot or so above my eye level. Some inches below it was a wooden box nailed to the door, with a lid that had no seal.

"Here are your exams. Don't think because you can't see us, we can't hear you. Talking will immediately lead to failure." Sharpay's guide deadpanned, and handed us each a maybe 80-page booklet. It was too thick to be a test!

Apparently Sharpay felt the same, but on a higher level. "This is the test!? More like BIBLE!" She tended to exaggerate a lot. "You expect us to finish this!?"

"You have more than enough time to complete that exam. It's one o clock and dinner is at six. If you need those four hours and 45 minutes for the exam, than enjoy. Once all three exams have been placed in this box, you may talk. No cursing or any other words that would be considered inappropriate are permitted." She sounded like a robot, spitting out programmed instructions. "At 5:45 you will leave for the cafeteria. Follow the signs if you're tiny brains can't remember the way. You miss dinner or fool around along the way, there will be consequences."

Let the fun begin.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Troy's PoV:_

I wonder what I did wrong. Girls I talk to practically fall to their knees. One look makes them blush. One word makes them flustered. And one sentence, let alone many, made them beg for a touch. It was my charm; it was the one thing I knew I had if I had nothing else. So what made Gabriella Montez any different?

Chad and Ryan were talking beside me as we were led to our room in hell. I hadn't been paying much attention, I was far too busy mulling over my encounter or…fiasco…with the black haired beauty. And then, as if they were reading my mind, a certain name made my head turn sharply to look at them.

"I don't know. Gabriella Montez seemed really nice, I'm glad we have at least one normal person in our group." Ryan stated, probably answering Chad's question that went something like 'what do you think of the girls?'

"Hey! I'm normal!"

"Yeah and that Afro is helping you so much on that one," I couldn't help but put in with a sly smile.

"So _now _you start talking?! You obviously don't understand the statement this hair makes! Girls love it." Both Ryan and I snickered at that. "Fine, don't believe me, but you'll see. In a matter of days all three of those girls will be chasing after me. I'll have to fend them away with a stake on a stick!!"

Although my mock laughter had died down, a large smirk still occupied my face. "I'm pretty sure a stake on a stick is a spear."

Ryan looked my way and we shared a ridiculing grin while Chad was sure to send me a hard glare, "Dude, as long as it's sharp, I'll take it! I'll _need_ it!"

"Whatever you say man."

My rough laughs mixed with Ryan's quiet ones, eventually forcing out Chad's hearty laughter.

A stunning, strong brunette challenge, an adorable, sharp-tongued African American rival, an untamed, gorgeous blonde fall back, and two pretty cool guys…not bad.

**A/N: once again, tell me what u liked and didnt like, but i promise itll get more interesting and intense now that intros/rules are over. but if u want to see anything specific happen, dont hesisate to write!**

**REVIEW :)**


	5. Figure It Out

**A/N: I AM SOO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! (to my few readers, haha ;)), ive been so busy with AP summer work and my grandma is in the hospital! but everythings good now and i should be getting A WHOLE LOT more chapters up soon!! just one request..please please please review!!**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing related to High School Musical, Disney, or _Broken Wings. _Any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either.

**Title: **Foolin' the World

Figure It Out:

_Troy's PoV:_

"Ok, that test was hell!"

"Troy, everything's hell to you," Chad retaliated from his bed.

Our room wasn't that big, but from my past with rooms, this place seemed enormous. There were two bunk beds against the left wall, a large window across from the door, and along the right wall were two single beds. In the middle of the room was a round table with six chairs around it. The closet sat next to the door but as guys, none of us really put much use to it. A full-length mirror was on the outside of the closet door. Seemed pointless to me, seeing as there were no events we'd need to check our appearance for. Hm, unless I get to Level 5…let's not count on that one.

The simplicity of the white walls and wooden floor made me wonder what the girls' dorms looked like. Maybe Sloane splurged a bit more on them, you know, spruced up their rooms a bit. I'm sure I'd find out during my stay here. Positive, actually.

"I wouldn't keep up with the swearing if I were you." A voice reprimanded from a single bed.

"Ah, c'mon man, all of us finished our tests, that means we can 'talk amongst ourselves.' Well, the talk is our choice, and the talk, Matt, is shit talk."

"Yeah, well then get ready to _be_ in some serious shit, Troy."

After the curse left Matt Spade's mouth, Chad immediately jumped down from his top bunk and ran over to Matt's single, leaping on top of it, "The dude just swore!! The dude just swore!! Where's his guide!? Where the hell is his guide, damn it!?"

In the past 3 hours, I learned that Chad was hilarious, the most energetic, joking guy I've ever met. Ryan was chill. He seemed like a guy you could put your faith in without a second thought, not that I was going to do that anytime soon. And then there was our roommate, our Level 2, prude roommate Matt Spade. The moment we stepped in, he made sure we started our tests right away, even when I asked if there was a pencil sharpener I could use, he was down my throat with 'I wouldn't talk if I were you, I wouldn't get up if I were you.'

Our other roommates were still out, so we didn't know how obnoxious they were in comparison to their group grinch member. God, the next time Matt tells me what to do I'm gonna punch that smug blonde haired face in.

"So Matt…what's your group like?" Ryan chimed, obviously trying to make friendly conversation.

"Yeah, are the girls _hot_? Cause in our group…OH MAN!" followed Chad, jumping off of Matt's bed and settling forcefully down in a chair at the desk.

"It really doesn't matter if they're hot or not, at Willow Oak, your group members are your family members. They teach you how to trust and love, that's what they are. Not a couple of girls to hook up with."

I thought I was going to be sick. Matt got that exact passage, minus the last line, from the joke of a book I skimmed through once I completed my test. As predicted, I was the last one to finish, even though I gave a total of 0 effort in that placement exam. Spade noticed, and he chewed me out for it. Jesus, Level 2 and he's already a tight ass? Damn this room was going to be hell. I guess Chad was right, everything was hell to me…but I _have_ been a resident of Hell, since the time I turned 8. So I guess agony just came naturally to me.

_8 Years Ago, October 18:_

"_Troy, baby, happy birthday!" I looked up into a pair of electric blue eyes, much brighter than my deep blue ones. She always told me that my father had the darkest green eyes she had ever seen. She said it matched his desire to do greater things, to live the lives of celebrated people. She said she could see the flecks of that in my eyes. She said I reminded her so much of him._

"_Mom, quit it!" I whined, escaping the tight embrace and wiping my cheeks free of her wet kisses. "I'm 8 today, mom! I'm not a baby! I could coach the Lakers right now if I wanted to!"_

_When those last words left my mouth, I saw fear and hatred pass through my mother's eyes. I unconsciously flinched when I noticed the change in Mom's eye color from blue to light grey. _

_Lately, Mom had been acting really weird. Ever since I started talking about my dreams of playing for the Lakers and getting us each a house the size of the moon, she started spacing out. And at night I heard her yelling…screaming. Which in itself wasn't that uncommon. Almost every other day since forever, I would wake up to my mom screaming my dad's name over and over again. So why did these new night episodes scare me so much?_

_She started to scream _my _name._

_I guess being compared to my dad wasn't the compliment I expected it to be._

"_Oh Troy, you and your silly imagination" She composed herself so quickly that even my mom's best friend wouldn't have been able to catch it. But I loved my mom more than anything. I could see every change in her expression, her movements, and her personality from a mile away. _

"_Mom! It's not my imagination! I can do it if I want to! You're the one who tells me what's meant to be, will always find a way! Mom, I'm meant to do big things!"_

_And there it was, clear as day. Her eyes went grey, her smile fell from her face, and instead of staring at me, she stared passed me, while talking in a voice I didn't recognize as the sweet, caring one that belonged to my mom. It was hard and cold. _

"_Yes…what's meant to be will always find a way. Never forget that…never forget that."_

_My mom, like all moms, would tell me that I was going to be a heart-stopper when I grew up. She told me I wasn't going to be a "heartbreaker" because I was too kind to break someone's heart. Said that I was a sensitive guy, she said I cared about others so much that I could read anyone's emotions like I read Dr. Seuss. My mom always told me I was handsome, always told me I was smart, always told me I was sweet, always told me I cared._

_One thing she never told me…_

_That I could do anything and be anything I put my mind to._

"Looks like its time for dinner boys. Let's get going." I came back to reality in time to see Matt's hateful figure leave the room, door open.

"Dude, can we shove his face down the garbage disposal or something?" Chad grimaced as all three of us started out the door.

"Sure, you and Troy hold him down and I'll flip the switch."

"Ah yeah! Leave the hard work for the ghetto boys, right Troy?"

_White Boy Troy!! You don't belong here! You're as soft as a baby's bottom!! Probably 'cuz your mommy babies you more than mine does with my two year old sister!! _

_Why don't you get out of here White Boy!? You're too nice for these streets and by nice I mean weak!! You're mom did the first smart thing of her life and left! Why didn't you go with her? Oh ya! She didn't want a weakling like you dragging her down!!_

Chad's persistent nudging of his elbow with mine snapped me out of my childhood memories. "Um, what? Oh…ya garbage disposal, good thinking."

I disregarded the confused faces my new "friends" if you could even call them that, shot at me. "So I hope I sit with Taylor."

Again with the confused faces.

"What!? You and Taylor nearly ripped each other's heads off earlier today!"

"Exactly. With her, things will get exciting! I don't exactly like following the rules. And actually going to this mandatory dinner is bad enough for my rep."

My bad boy rep. The rep that went against everything my mom said I would be. That went against everything my perfect yet not so perfect dad was. Mom left because I was turning into dad. Mom hates me because I was dad. My mom meant the world to me and if she didn't like who I was or who I reminded her of…then I'd change, and I did change.

I hoped my change would make her come back. I hoped that I was strong enough now, strong enough to be the man of the house. A house that she'd once again fill with joy…hers and mine. And still, 6 years later, I had no idea where she was or if she was even still alive.

And still, almost 17, I have no idea who I am, and no idea if I was ever anyone to begin with. The only thing I know now is that I don't feel, I shouldn't feel. The closest I get to feeling is the rush of breaking the rules. The rush I used to feel when mom told me she loved me, that she'd always be there for me, and that she'd always care about me.

What a load of crap.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Gabriella's PoV:_

"Gabriella I can't believe you thought that test was easy!"

Giggling at Taylor's surprise and, well, surprised at the non-offensive way she said it, I shrugged, "I went to this really prestigious performance of the arts school, everything was over the top, but I guess they taught me well."

"Wow, a performance of the arts school? That's awesome. Which one?"

Taken aback by Taylor's genuine curiosity I hesitated, "Uh, Berkeley's School of Arts."

"Right, my mom still gets money from that place."

"Who's your mom?"

"Chantal Mckessie," Taylor replied with pride and smiled as Sharpay and Gabriella's mouths dropped simultaneously.

"_The _Chantal Mckessie!? Like the famous country singer Chantal Mckessie!? Oh my god!! I spent practically my whole life worshipping her songs!! They're so beautiful!"

"Yeah well most people spend their lives worshipping _her._" Although arrogance was laced in her voice, I could still detect a hint of pain seeping through. It was weird being around all these people that had as many secrets as I did. But in a way it was also refreshing. I'm happy with at least one of Dr. Sloane's philosophies, because for some reason, I already feel close to Sharpay and Taylor.

Well maybe not close-close, but I don't think there'll be any 911 calls for murder in room #11 anytime soon.

Sharpay was a very expressive girl. She always seemed to have wild ideas and never cared for being quiet. Taylor was the same in that sense. No matter what the topic was, she had something to say, usually a complaint or rude remark. But even with her attitude, Taylor had a great sense of humor. A combination of sarcasm with truth, she could make me laugh with just a correctly timed roll of the eyes.

The boys I didn't know much about still. But I was hoping that would change at dinner with anyone but Troy Bolton.

I witnessed first hand what a charmer he could be. He had that face that would look magnificent chiseled into a beautiful Roman statue, and a body harder than the stone that created such things! But underneath those melting words and gorgeous looks, all I saw was a flirt. A guy who got by with girls and amusing himself by starting trouble. I saw a rebel and a player, and despite the way my heart picked up when he looked my way, I thought of my mom's disapproval of such a boy. The face of disapproval that drove me into so many episodes.

And I didn't throw what little I had left of my life to come here and crush on some boy I _shouldn't _be crushing on! No, Troy Bolton, was just like all the boys my mother warned me about. Coming here was definitely a good choice. I was defying and disregarding everything mother told me by having slight feelings for this _player _and _lawbreaker_. I deserved her shame and I deserve whatever will come to me during my stay here.

"What do you think our roommates are like?" I asked Sharpay next to me. We had begun our journey to dinner, or the walk to oblivion as Taylor said earlier.

"I think if they're anything like the pricks we call guides…then we'd have more fun getting our teeth pulled one by one."

I smiled at Sharpay, "And I thought I was one of those pricks."

Sharpay smiled back as we made our way down the girl's hallway, coming into view of the boys' corridor. "You follow the rules but…you're pretty fun to be around. Actually, in a way, you're more badass that Taylor and me. Acting innocent…but then within the next second you'll get down and dirty"

Now laughing from her ridiculous comment we made a right, I could sense Sharpay eyeing the boy's hallway straight across from us. "And when did I do that?"

"You haven't. But I know you will and I know you do."

I scoffed. "You really don't know anything about me."

"So, I _don't _know that back in your old school, you would tell your dance instructor you had cramps and then skip to go running off with your boyfriend somewhere?"

"Wha—how? You…_what?!"_

"Relax. I haven't been stalking you your whole life. It was in the back of my book. A whole biography about you and your life."

"_And you read it!? What gives you the right to do something like that!?"_

"It _was _in _my_ book! And even if I don't have the right to do that, it's not like we _have _any _other _rights here. Besides, what am I gonna do with this info anyways? Threaten you to do something for me or else I'll tell everyone about you? Because I have a feeling, soon, we'll know everything about each other. To the point we wish we didn't."

What she said made sense, but even so, I was still fuming. I don't know whether it was the fact that she didn't tell me earlier, or that now she knew pretty much all my secrets. "So…how much do you know?"

Clearly sensing my uneasiness, she flashed an understanding smile. "Don't worry. All it said was that you went to an art's school, you were this amazing student with grades and personality, the most popular girl in school…and that you purposely changed all of that. Then it just went into what you did with your appearance and your boyfriend."

"Well if you know that book was talking about me then you know…" I gulped at the thought. Would she change her opinion about me like he had? Would she act unbearably careful around me like daddy? Or would she do something much worse like mother?

"Yeah…I know you're suicidal. I wasn't sure who the book was about until you told us what school you went to. But like I said, don't worry. Back home I have way too many friends who get caught up in knowing things nobody else does that…I'd rather kill myself than becoming one of them. Oh! I uh I mean…I'd rather die…I mean…I'd rather, um, kiss my brother…, ew…I mean…"

"Sharpay!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you…or…I know you probably had a reason to want to die…" Sharpay flinched as she spoke those words, "No, no. I'm glad you _didn't _die but…"

"Sharpay! It's ok," I giggled, "I'm just really, really…thankful. I'm not ready for people to know yet. My past with others knowing isn't the best."

"I understand." Sharpay assured with complete sincerity. "Let's just hope Ms. Thing didn't hear us."

As the thought dawned on me that Taylor very well could have heard us since she was walking behind us…man I was losing it these days, I turned around to look at her. Well I turned to look at what would've been her. Instead I saw nothing.

"I don't think we have to worry about that. Where's Taylor?"

"What? She's walking behind us, isn't...she? Oh my god, where the hell did she go!?

I freaked. We couldn't be late for dinner. They'd eat us alive! "Taylor!? TAYLOR?! Sharpay, where is she!?"

"Shh! Jeez, for someone who finished her test in like 2 hours, you sure are dumb! Be quiet! We'll find her…maybe she forgot something in the room."

"Forgot something!? Forgot WHAT?! They took everything of ours away except for our clothes! God…where is she!?"

"Gabriella! Maybe she…went ahead to dinner."

"Right…that totally makes sense since we were walking ahead of her this whole time! God, we're in so much trouble."

"No, we're not. We can still go to dinner…Taylor's been asking for a punishment since we stepped foot in this place! Let's just go to dinner, do our chores…and maybe she'll show."

"But what if she leaves?"

"Then hallelujah! We have a sassy, self-centered girl off our hands!"

I shook my head, needing to get my point across. "This whole place is miles and miles of desert! She'll die out there! We have to find her and stop her from doing something stupid! Something stupid that would get us ALL in trouble!"

Sharpay crossed her arms but I could see she knew I was right.

We had to find Taylor.

**Please Review!! :D**


	6. Till the Dawn

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to High School Musical, Disney, or _Broken Wings_. Any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either

Title: Foolin' the World

Till the Dawn

_Troy's PoV:_

Find your nametag, sit down, and mingle appropriately until Dr. Sloane commences dinner.

It's like I fell into a world of Step-by-Step rules for pre-schoolers. The only difference…seems like 3 of the 6 kiddies are MIA.

Gabriella had a seat next to me, while Matt was sitting across from me…eyeing the vacant chair. I was doing the same, but for a different reason. Cursing myself for my bad luck that the girl who interested me to a point of surprise wasn't here to sit with me. I wondered where the good girl could possibly be. Screw that, where could she possibly go, what could she possibly be doing? Maybe the girls stayed in their room for a little playtime…

"Bolton! Isn't that seat next to you for someone from your group?"

"Ah damn it! Fuck you Spade!"

"Chill man, I was just asking."

No…you were interrupting my thoughts…the most action I've gotten today. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I snarled. "Yeah, she's from my group. What of it?"

"Then your group is in for it…big time."

I narrowed my eyes at Gay Spade, "How so? The teacher cult table is across the commons, no one will know."

"As a higher level student, it's my duty to report any misbehaving or misdemeanors to my guide. So what's the idiot's name?"

In a heartbeat I swiped Gabriella's nametag and sat on it, an overwhelming feeling of protection surprising my stiff frame. "The idiot's name is Matt Spade. Now fuck off."

He smirked at me after the anger from my actions left his eyes, "Don't think that swearing will go unrecorded either."

Where were Chad and Ryan? We need to put that garbage disposal plan into action as soon as possible.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Gabriella's PoV:_

We finally found Taylor in the girl's bathroom. It had the only window that opened, the only problem...below were thorn bushes and from what we could see, those spiked plants were laid out beneath every window in this grand building.

"Taylor, c'mon. Let's go to dinner before we get chewed out by the hound dogs!"

"No way Sharpay! I am NOT supposed to be in a school where breathing when your not supposed to will send you to level negative 1000 and you'll be thrown in some dungeon with no shower, or food as punishment!!!"

"Taylor, please, that won't happen if we just follow the rules!"

"Yeah, you ALWAYS want to follow the rules, don't you Gabriella!? Well what happens when you follow rules that are planned from the start to make you fail!?" Taylor finally turned from the window to face Sharpay and myself.

"Obviously there's something more going on here with you! There's a lot more going on for me, and Sharpay as well!!! We're all in the same boat Taylor!"

"The same sinking boat," Taylor responded quietly but with venom.

I sighed, "Maybe. But leaving this place isn't going to change that! In fact it'll just kill us faster! We got ourselves into this mess and now the only way out is to clean ourselves up. We're a team now, the 3 of us and the 3 boys. If we—"

"No! That's the thing!!! _I _didn't get _myself _into this mess!!! I made one mistake that I couldn't even avoid!!!! I was tricked into…" she trailed off, tears silently falling from her face, "You and Sharpay aren't like me! You're strong enough to be here! I can't handle this! I'll just bring everyone and myself down!"

Sharpay took a step closer to Taylor. "Right…you think _I'm _strong enough to be here? I'm a Summers. I'm meant to go to Harvard, be an exclusive member of the White Gloves Society, and never get a dirty spot on my bright, happy dresses. I'm supposed to behave and help others, to be a role model, a perfect little child, as fresh as my last name. A Summers isn't _strong enough _to go to Yale instead of Harvard! Let alone a REHAB CENTER instead of high school!"

Taylor's eyes averted from Sharpay's, and you could see the withdrawal she was beginning to make.

Taking a deep breath, I decided it was my turn to give away a part of my past. "Look, I know what it's like to want the easy way out. Like Sharpay said,_ I'm _not strong enough to be here. I wasn't even strong enough to try and live my life. My so-called _perfect _life. So if I wanted out of a perfect life…I'm definitely not fit to spend my junior year in rehab."

"So you really are suicidal."

I looked down, suddenly going from confident to uneasy. A change I've grown accustomed to.

Sharpay broke the tension, even if she wasn't the mold of a typical Summers, she sure did help out like she told us they were meant to. "So…dinners probably over. Let's see…we missed making dinner for our guides, eating dinner, AND cleaning up dinner." Sharpay started to lead us out of the girl's bathroom. "Wanna place bets on how many demerits we're going to get on our first day?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't keep the small smile from erupting on my face.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Narrator:_

"Ah! Hey, watch it!" Troy rudely exclaimed while rubbing his shoulder, which had just bumped with another.

"Oh, sorry! I wasn't watching where I was…_Troy?_"

Troy stopped grimacing long enough to examine his collision partner…Gabriella Montez. Smirking Troy took a step closer to her. "Just can't keep your hands off me huh Montez?"

"Yeah, you know, you're right. It is _really _hard, refraining myself from slapping you right now." Troy's face fell, a frequent occurrence when talking with Gabriella. Quickly, changing the mood in the air, Gabriella continued whispering, "So uh, what are you doing up? It's one in the morning."

Troy replied in his normal voice…well as normal as his angelic voice could get. "Just cause it's early doesn't mean you have to whisper, and I couldn't sleep. What about you? Wouldn't think Montez the Mannered would be up so late _and _wandering in the boys hallway"

Gabriella's mouth dropped and retaliated in defense, "I _was not wandering _in the boys hallway!" Troy quirked an eyebrow in amusement and uncertainty, which only managed to make Gabriella's mouth drop further, "_Really! _I went to the bathroom and got lost!!! I've never been good with direction so in a huge place like this, AT NIGHT, it's bound to happen to anyone!"

Troy just continued to stare at her, with the same expression of amusement on his face.

"Fine, don't believe me! Think that I purposefully came to the boys' dorms to do God knows what with God knows who! And go ahead and tell Ryan, and Chad, and even Dr. Sloane because it doesn't matter! Because what I'm saying is the truth and maybe if you-"

"Gabriella, chill! Damn, you like to rant!" Gabriella was about to go into defense mode again until she noticed the playfulness in Troy's face. "And even if you did come in here on purpose…I wouldn't tell."

Gabriella looked at Troy with shock but also pleasure. "You wouldn't?"

"Nah, in fact, I would have you pencil me in for your next visit. Meeting place: showers."

"Sure. But let's change the meeting place to hell. 'Cause I'd rather go to hell than have you touch me."

Gabriella turned to leave, but Troy quickly, if not angrily, grabbed her arm to halt her. Sending bolts of fire into the back of her head, as Gabriella remained facing away from Troy, Troy spoke in words as hot as his smoldering look. "Strong words Gabriella but I wonder why when you say it disbelief and even _shame _flashes in your eyes."

Immediately stiffening Gabriella frowned as she turned to look into Troy's navy blue eyes, something she promised herself she wouldn't do when alone with him, especially not when his touch, much like that of fireworks, was disrupting her control already. "How did you—Why would you think I'm ashamed?"

Troy narrowed his eyes, unintentionally ignoring Gabriella's question as he was deep in thought searching for the answer himself. Why _would _she be ashamed, unless… "_I'd rather go to hell?_ So…you'd rather die?"

Abruptly, Gabriella jerked her arm out of Troy's loosened grasp. "Let me rephrase then. I'd rather _you _go to hell Bolton." Gabriella stalked away as Troy once again quickened his pace to grab her arm. "Would you stop that Troy?! I'm tired and I don't exactly enjoy spending my time battling it out with you in the boy's hallway, where anyone could see! Plus-"

"Okay, okay. Hold the rant for a second, Montez. I just thought I'd direct you in the _right _direction towards the girls' dorms." Troy smirked as Gabriella's olive face turned a shade of red and she began to briskly walk the other way. Wanting to get the last word in Troy half-yelled to his infatuation's retreating figure, "Be nice to me Montez! You'll find time with me is far more enjoying if you don't presumptuously hate me!"

Gabriella, despite herself, smiled as she looked straight ahead, partly to piss off Troy, partly to focus on where she was, and partly because if she looked at that gorgeous, perfect face she might run back to him. "Forget about me Bolton! You'll find that there will be no time that includes the words me and you while we're here!" Gabriella rounded the corner. Leaving only the lasting echo of her voice, but maybe that was just in Troy's mind, Gabriella's voice seemed to always continuously sound in his mind.

Only one question overcame Gabriella's sexy voice in Troy's thoughts.

_Why did she always win?_


	7. Let Me Talk To You

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to High School Musical, Disney, or _Broken Wings_. Any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either

Title: Foolin' the World

Let Me Talk To You

_Gabriella's PoV:_

Troy Bolton. Arrogant. Reckless. Playboy. Troublemaker. Conclusion: Stay away.

Troy Bolton. Strong. Fascinating. Gorgeous. Outgoing. Conclusion: Learn more.

Slamming my fists into my eyes I desperately tried to wipe away any drowsiness, any delusions I might be experiencing. After all, it was early morning…people don't know what they're thinking in the early morning, right?

"8am Group Therapy Session. 9am report to kitchen to make breakfast pancakes. 9:30am report to field house. 11am report to school building for first two classes. 1pm report to kitchen to make lunch grilled cheese and soup. 1:30pm report to ranch house. 2pm report to school building for 3 classes. 5pm report to room to finish homework. 5:45pm report to kitchen to make dinner chicken and rice. 6pm report to commons for dinner. 8pm report to kitchen for clean up. Afterwards: Straight to room for any unfinished school, field, ranch, or therapy work you may have received. 9:30pm Lights out."

Taylor groaned. "How about we make a deal to stop reading the schedule?"

Sighing in agreement I looked up from my seat at the table in the center of the room. "I'm in. Really Sharpay, that's the 5th time now."

"I know! But how can I _not_ read it!? It's the most ridiculous thing I've _ever_ seen in my life and I've seen some ridiculous things! Try 15 middle-aged, high society wannabes drunk and fighting one another for the last scone! But this…this _piece of paper_ tops that any day! We literally have _no _free time!"

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Coming from high-class myself, the scenario Sharpay just painted for me could have had me rolling on the floor howling if I allowed it.

"Guys I know the schedule seems scary at first but really you get used to it. The first day is always the worst," Kelsi Nielson comforted.

Kelsi Nielson. Sweet and shy. Level 2 and mannered. Group member to Brianna Ebigail.

"_Hah!_ Everyday here is the worst, unless you make it fun. For example…those shitty books you all dove into…useless rules unless you break 'em." Speaking of the devil.

Brianna Ebigail. Mean and loud. Level 1 and angry. Group member to Kelsi Nielson.

Both my roommates.

My grimace at Brianna's words was outdone by Sharpay's loud exclamation of joy.

"Yes! Finally, my saving grace!!! Please, _please _be my group member!" Sharpay rushed over to Brianna's single and the two immediately dished about whatever wild girls dish about.

I shuddered as that thought crossed my mind…if wild girls dished about certain things then wouldn't I out of anyone be familiar with those things? Should I really be so quick to hate this Brianna when I was so recently just like her? When some days I was even worse than her?

The sound of a chair pulling out next to me thankfully knocked me from my potentially self-fatal thoughts.

"So," Taylor started as she sat down at the table with me, "How much trouble do you think we'll be in for dinner?"

I could tell that had been bothering Taylor. It was bothering me too. I just didn't have the time to mull over it. I was mulling over other things and let's just say blue eyes and brown hair have become two of the most frequent images in my mind, in the last 6 hours. "I don't know, Taylor. Maybe-"

"Ho--lee shit!! Did you three skip out on dinner!?" questioned Brianna only really looking at Sharpay with eagerness.

Flipping back her blonde hair over her shoulder Sharpay shrugged, obviously putting up a fake 'cool' act. "We did some group bonding in the bathroom." That sarcasm and eye roll made me want to gag. Was Sharpay really so quick to put up this act in front of Brianna? Did she want to befriend her that badly? Or…was it not an act?

Two things happened then. Brianna's amused and smooth laugh filled the room while Kelsi's declaration mixed with it, "Oh no. That won't be good, especially not with your _first _dinner."

My worries finally seemed to take over the tan, beautiful face that seemed to be etched in my mind ever since our meeting in the hallway just a few hours ago. "How bad is it?"

Noticing my worry, along with Taylor's and even Sharpay's, although I could tell she was trying to cover it in front of Brianna, Kelsi quickly rebutted. "Well it depends, maybe you won't be in any trouble at all. It really depends on what table you were seated at…if anyone noticed and if anyone told…"

"Told!?" Taylor's cry filled the room and probably the entire hall, "Why would anyone ever tell on us!? Why would anyone ever blatantly betray someone like that!?" Taylor stood from her chair, glaring at Kelsi, waiting for an answer, going into hysterics like yesterday.

Clearly something more was going on.

Flustered and I bet afraid, Kelsi played with her fingers while looking down and hesitantly replied in a quiet voice. "Well if you read the book…it says that the students here are expected to report any misdemeanors or rule breaking to their guides. In Dr. Sloane's words 'One cannot truly appreciate or bide by the rules if they do not enforce them, as well.'"

Attempting to save Kelsey from the wrath of Taylor McKessie I intervened while looking at Taylor with pleading eyes that said to calm down. "I remember that part," I smiled as I knew what words to say to hopefully enforce what my eyes asked of her, "Bull shit, wasn't it?"

Taylor tensed for a second and I prepared to say something else but then she relaxed and let out a breath while closing her eyes. "Bull shit. All of it. Everything that happened."

Sharpay, sitting next to Brianna on her bed, watched Taylor with intrigued, confused eyes. But I didn't overlook the slight nod of agreement she gave Taylor when the words "bull shit" and "everything that happened" filled the room.

It was definitely weird being around people with as many secrets as me.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Troy's PoV:_

Gabriella Montez. Gabriella Montez. Gabriella Montez. She was perfect.

"Yo, Bolton! Let's get going! Seriously man! Off your freakish ass and out the door!"

Chad Danforth. He was dead.

"Dude two seconds alright?" I shot back while holding two fingers up from the table placed in the middle of the room, our room, _my_ room.

Ryan smirked. "Maybe you wouldn't have to be cramming if you took a peak at the book before it was about 5 minutes to 8. You're so screwed."

I waved my hand at him to shut up. His smirk widened. Why the hell was he smirking anyways? _I _smirk. Not some peppy, pampered, pansy roommate of mine. "I _did _fucking peak at it. That's what turned me off from reading the rest of it!!!"

"That's a shame. The interesting part begins in the back."

I narrowed my eyes at peppy, pampered, and pansy and asked while flipping the book to the back, "What does that mean? Does Sloane start referring to herself as 'She' and are there specific prayers we have to memorize, get on our knees, clasp our hands together, and sing songs for?"

I watched Ryan's face lighten in pure joy at my words. I did mention he was peppy right? "No…better. There's an entire biography on the person the name on your inside cover refers to. I swear mine was exactly like the soap opera my mom used to watch." I mentioned pampered and pansy too, didn't I?

Unwilling to be outdone, Chad spoke up, "A soap opera? _Mine _was some terrible chick flick! I held my breath through the whole thing! I nearly suffocated myself to death!"

"Danforth, suffocating already means death," I quickly continued to cut off his retort, "So my life's story would be on that hot blonde?" I smiled at that thought…what kinds of things did a girl like her get into? But even as I imagined the possibilities I couldn't stop myself from asking what kinds of things Gabriella Montez got into.

"Yeah but c'mon dude your gonna get us in so much shit."

"Cool it Danforth I'm working on it!"

"Just screw it and let's go! It's not like she expected that you'd read it or anything completely idiotic like that! Besides half an hour is a decent amount of time, maybe something managed to stick in that pretty boy head of yours."

Sighing I finally lifted myself from the hard chair I had been situated in for half an hour. Chad would be right if I hadn't spent 29 minutes and 50 seconds of that half an hour thinking of the lovely, strong, beautiful, smart, gorgeo—

"Bolton!"

I don't think I've ever recited Chad's name in my head without adding the word dead adjacent to it.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Troy's PoV_

Freakin' Sloane. Freakin' quiz. Freakin' therapy. Freakin' cult chant.

"FREAKIN' HELL! I'm stopping this in 3 seconds whether you give me permission or not!"

"Mr. Bolton, you will continue until I allow you to stop. If you do stop, however, then I'm afraid you'll be forced to work out in the fields instead of enjoying lunch and dinner."

"Jesus Christ woman."

"Demerit for Group 30. In my count that's your third in the last half hour. I'd be careful, you do not want to experience the punishment for 5 straight demerits in a day, let alone in one group therapy session."

From my position I couldn't actually see the reactions of my "group members" but I knew they probably looked at each other in A. fear since my punishment for not remembering that stupid chant was bad enough B. annoyance because I was the cause for our 3 demerits and C. amusement for what I was unwillingly doing.

With my forehead on the hard, uncomfortable, HARD wood and my hands behind my back, which was practically parallel to the ground, I'm sure I was one hell of a sight to see. A sight that was only a foot away from every kid, I was on the freakin' table, looking as if I was trying to do pushups with my face instead of my arms. It was a fairly good attempt to rid me of all feeling in my head. Of course, it hurt like hell after the first few minutes. And of course, Psycho Sloane has had me in this "punishment position" for nearly 15 minutes now. I mean really, just because I couldn't remember the school prayer that the book told us to recite every morning and night? I can think of hundreds of things I'd rather recite to Sloane every morning and night.

I opened my mouth to tell Sloane just that, but finally she said the words that had been my real prayer to God since 8:05 AM. "All right, Mr. Bolton, you may have a seat in your chair again."

Quickly hopping down from the table, nearly kicking McKessie by accident…ok maybe I was a bit upset I missed…I pulled out my chair and plopped down, feeling my blood finally come down from my face. I took a glance at everyone, waiting a bit longer on Gabriella's eyes. I smirked, of course my predictions were right. Sharpay and Chad were trying to hide their entertained, mocking snickers, Taylor was pissed that I got our group in trouble, and Gabriella and Ryan looked worried.

"Good, now Mr. Bolton, please recite the school prayer correctly this time."

Alright…maybe saying 'hell hole' and 'fucking Sloane' again would be a bad idea. Guess I could just counteract with a glare and sarcasm. I know I give good glares and I'm an expert at sarcasm. "I am nothing. I am less than nothing. I am a burden to my family, or lack thereof…and to my country, no matter how crappy of a country that is. Who I am is indecent, but fun, and I must change. Quickly and efficiently, I must change and improve myself to the standards of God. I must thank Dr. Sloane for every punishment I receive."

I met Dr. Sloane's eyes. _Wow_! I guess she gives good glares too! "Demerit number 4 for Group 30." Shit. Group #30 gives good glares as well. "Besides your improvisations, that will do for now. For the remainder of the session, I would like-"

"Hey, hey Dr. Sloane!" Well, I'm pretty crappy at learning lessons.

"Mr. Bolton, next time you will _not_ interrupt me and you will _raise _your hand."

"Yeah, yeah. I was just wondering if I could start that thanking you for your punishments thing now."

Dr. Sloane smiled, clearly not as smart as the rest of my group. I felt Chad elbow me beside me at the same time McKessie kicked me from under the table, across from me. Sharpay smiled while turning away to hide it. Unfortunately, I couldn't see Ryan's reaction because of Chad's fro, but one reaction sent my male hormones raging. Gabriella closed her eyes, letting out a silent groan. Immediately, I closed my eyes, picturing that exact picture but with Gabriella under me, as I—

"Go ahead, Mr. Bolton."

"Believe me I would." I was still fantasizing about Gabriella.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bolton?"

I opened my eyes and came back to reality. Freakin' reality. "Oh, yeah. I just wanted to thank you for forcing me to eat wood. Not reading the material you assigned us was a hideous, vicious crime and after my punishment I truly realize that my actions have repercussions, that I have to pay. I also understand that we're allowed to _do things _on the furniture. Store _that_ one in my brain for future events."

"Your demeaning sense of humor will be the first trait of yours to be fixed, Mr. Bolton."

"Your demeaning punishment should be the first trait of yours to be fixed, Ms. Sloane."

Another kick from McKessie, another elbow from Danforth, and more glares from the rest, not Sharpay though, that was pretty cool. I'd have to talk to her about that, but maybe we wouldn't get to talking...ugh. Wait...back up. Usually I'd get excited at that thought. Another reason I _was _such a player, because I felt when I did those things. Again, I was alive, I was actually human, and I could make someone else feel, I could do something. After everything my mom told me…after everything that happened, I _needed _to know I was alive, I needed to feel anything. But now I was eating my words because thinking of doing that with Sharpay…made me sick. Made me feel like I was scum. I had no idea why, she was so much like every girl I've ever been with. I tried to find the reason behind this feeling but the only thing that came to mind…was Gabriella.

"Dr. Sloane, please don't give us another demerit," Speaking of the angel. "We'll talk to Troy, it's our second day here, our first full day. We can't be expected to understand the rules right away. Our group already has negative 15 points, including the one from yesterday. Please, give us time to fulfill the chance you've given us, before you completely take it away."

Impressed and annoyed at her goodynes, and soaring once again from her voice, I ignored how everyone else looked expectantly at Sloane and I just continued staring at Gabriella. Why was I so infatuated with her? Again, I tried to answer this question. But the only things that came to mind were those old, ridiculous sayings, "when you find your soul-mate, you'll never go another second without them in thought" "true love takes over the mind, body, heart, and soul", and "whoever loved, that loved not at first sight?" All. Bull.

And yet…

"I respect your request Ms. Montez, and I will not give your group another infraction."

Did I ever mention how much I loved Dr. Sloane? Thank god she stopped my stupid mind from thinking any more stupid things. I'm not the guy who thinks of true love, and soul mates and love at first sight. I'm the guy who makes fun of pansies like that. Deciding Sloane deserved something for her true heroic act there, I raised my hand.

"Mr. Bolton?"

"Thank you, Dr. Sloane."

Everyone looked surprised, they probably thought I was thanking her for not giving us a demerit. So I expected Dr. Sloane to be surprised as well, but she merely smiled and continued talking to Gabriella. I guess I was too indecent to deserve a your welcome. "Yes, you're exempt from a fifth demerit. However, Ms. Montez, I do realize that you're group is due for a severe punishment anyways."

At those words my head, along with 5 others, snapped to fully face Dr. Sloane. Blasting full-on surprise, shock, confusion, and worry at her.

"I hear from students that two members from Group 30 were missing during dinner last night."

Two? So that means at least one table was _decent _enough to not be a brat and snitch. Chad and Ryan both told me how they had hid their girls' nametags like I had. I scoffed as the realization hit me; we were_ already_ protective of the girls in our group.

Hearing my exclamation, Sloane raised an unsurprised eyebrow at me. "Mr. Bolton? Do you have a comment on this matter?"

"Nah, I'm just laughing at a funny thought."

"This is far from funny. Those who decided to skip the mandatory dinner, your first mandatory dinner, will have to miss breakfast and work in the fields." If she thinks she'll get confessions after saying that she needs to rework her system and mind. "Well? Anyone? Believe me, if nobody comes forth, the entire group will just get punished."

I felt Chad shift to my left. Was this an uncomfortable situation for him? Actually, now that I think about it, it'd probably be uncomfortable for a lot of people. Knowing who it was, not wanting to be like those asses who told on them in the first place, yet also knowing that if you didn't the whole group would suffer anyways. That is an uncomfortable position. I just didn't feel it, didn't care. Like always.

From the corner of my eyes I saw Gabriella's back straighten and immediately I knew what she was doing. A sudden rush of worry engulfed my emotionless body. I didn't want her getting in trouble. Um…what was that? Once again shocked at the emotions that un-expectantly presented themselves whenever Gabriella was involved, I stopped what I was doing, too overcome with figuring out these emotions to stop her. Freakin' irony.

Her clear, confident voice resonated throuhout the office. "I skipped dinner, Dr. Sloane."

I thought Sloane would be surprised, not Manners Montez! But instead she nodded her head and asked, "And the second person?"

Silence.

I knew Sharpay and McKessie were too selfish and scared to raise their hands. I knew that Gabriella was too nice to turn them in, let alone choose one to turn in.

"Ms. Montez? If you don't tell me who broke the rules, you'll have to finish that field work solely."

Gabriella kept her eyes on Sloane, never flinching, never hesitating, never even thinking about telling on her 'friends.'

"I'm surprised. Not only at this child for not coming forth but at you Ms. Montez. I expected more from you."

Deafening silence.

"Alright, nothing? I'm afraid, Ms. Montez, you'll have to report to the field house right after this. You'll miss breakfast and instead shovel and plant. It's hard work, as you can see, the ground outside is practically rock, until you break through and get to the rich soil. You'll have to continue doing it at 9:30 until 11 with the other Level 1 students. I hope it'll teach you to never disobey the rules again."

My stomach churned at the thought of Gabriella slaving away on those rock fields for two hours.

"Yes, Dr. Sloane, I'm sorry. I'd rather it be me than…the…entire…" Gabriella trailed off when she saw me raise my hand.

"I skipped dinner too." Mouths dropped, gasps of shock were heard, Dr. Sloane stared at me, not surprised and not not surprised, just a blank stare. Gabriella mumbled a quiet 'group', finishing her statement half-heartedly from before. Most of her attention and focus was on me, so I smirked, connecting our eyes, "You could call me the partner in crime, or accomplice, or whatever. Co-conspirator, maybe?"

"Then Mr. Bolton and Ms. Montez will work on the fields right after we finish our therapy. You will not speak or work next to each other. You spent enough time with each other yesterday when you should have been at dinner. Ms. Montez you will plant on the far left and you Mr. Bolton, the far right. I do expect this be your last punishment here at Willow Oak Clinic."

Freakin' Willow Oak.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

_Narrator_

The sun is the largest object in the solar system. It provides the light and life for the entire Earth. It burns at 15.6 million Kelvin and puts out 386 billion billion megawatts. It was especially scorching today on the barren land where Willow Oak Clinic lay. And yet…

It was nothing compared to the heat Gabriella Montez radiated onto Troy Bolton.

"So why'd you do it?"

Troy almost fell forward at Gabriella's sudden sweet voice coming from behind him. "Uh, what?"

"Why'd you take the heat for the others? Why'd you say you skipped dinner when you didn't?"

Troy smirked as he planted his shovel in the rocky ground and used it to stand up, now level with Gabriella and staring right into her brown eyes, memorizing each emotion that flashed through them. "How would you know if I skipped or not? You weren't there, you were off _doing_ something else."

The crow flying dozens of feet over their heads for the past 15 minutes could have detected the suggestiveness in his voice. So clearly Gabriella was fully aware of his tone and snapped back. "Can you just answer my question?!"

At her impatience, Troy's condescending grin widened, "Well, I wanted to spend some time with you, of course." This time Troy was prepared for the smart remark Gabriella was no doubt going to say back, he actually anticipated it, feeling a strange desire to win at this verbal game. At least, that's how he saw it, because he couldn't possibly just want to _talk _to her.

"Why?"

Troy held back a laugh, causing his gorgeous lips to form an alluring line that Gabriella couldn't stop staring at. Troy crossed his arms, resting on the shovel's handle, readying himself. She was probably planting a trap like yesterday in the kitchen after lunch. "Why what?"

Gabriella, for the first time since one AM that morning, finally looked into his piercing navy eyes. She instantly felt that same punch in the gut sensation at their simply dazzling qualities. Taking a deep breath, Gabriella controlled herself and continued. "Why do you want to spend time with me? Why do you insist on talking to me?" Quickly reverting her eyes back to the ground, she mentally kicked herself for asking such a stupid question, when she already knew the answer.

He talked to her for her face. He wanted to spend time with her for her body. There was nothing more to it and that hurt Gabriella for reasons she knew. She knew her heart dropped at this because it reminded her of so much. It made her question who she was and what she offered to people. It made her question what she meant to people. A prop for her boyfriend? A trophy for her mom? She knew it hurt because of those questions. But for another reason it was very strange. It was strange that it hurt her that _Troy_ was only interested in her for hormonal reasons and not…she didn't even know. But why did it hurt so much more that _Troy_ was this guy? That _Troy _was like _him_? And now she set herself up for the perfect opportunity for Troy to tell her directly that he was interested in her for nothing else. That she was just a girl with a pretty face and nothing more. That she was exactly as her ex-boyfriend told her she was.

"You," Troy started and Gabriella closed her eyes, ready for the pain to hit, ready for the pain to change her drastically like it usually did, "fascinate me." The pain never came.

Gabriella abruptly looked up. Not at all ready for the truth and passion his eyes seeped into hers. No words left her mouth. No words could even formulate in her head.

Uncommonly nervous, Troy rubbed the back of his neck while looking towards the ground himself. Being so close to Gabriella, just imagining the shocks of electricity that would surge through him if he took one step forward…sent him rocking, sent him soaring, sent him into an unknown world. Roles reversed and now it was Gabriella staring at Troy with eyes nothing but intense and Troy staring at the ground with eyes nothing but uneasy.

Troy cleared his throat and halted his hand from rubbing his neck but still kept it situated there, well aware of Gabriella's surprised, beautiful, and wondering eyes. "Well, by fascinate I mean…you surprise me a lot. You're not what I had you marked down as, and I just…I guess I want to find out what you _should_ be marked down as."

Gabriella finally arose from her stupor and the confusion in her eyes suddenly dominated the surprise. "Marked down as?"

"Yeah, you know, shy and quiet, loud and wild, angry and mean, sad and lonely."

"I thought you didn't like judgmental people." It was a statement, not a question.

It was Troy's turn to abruptly look into Gabriella's eyes with surprise, not ready for their beauty either. In similar fashion to Gabriella's hearts moments before, his heart jumped, fell, flew, and leapt in a moment, just from peering into her passionate orbs. Hurriedly and desperately trying to ignore his betraying heart, Troy racked his brain for any time he told Gabriella he didn't like judgmental people but already knew he would never have told her that. He didn't talk about himself like that to others. So how did she know? Why is she so sure? Questions flooded Troy's mind yet all he could get out was a simple, "What?"

Gabriella's eyes deepened, no longer hesitant, and searched for several long seconds in the blue pools across from her, as if they could have an entire conversation with just their eyes. It wasn't until her search proved worthless and she realized her intense gaze was being mirrored back to her from those exact brilliant eyes that she blushed a scarlet red. And spoke. "Well our first day here, in the waiting room, you got really, _really _mad when Taylor said a lot of things about you when none of us knew anything about one another..." Troy's sexy line emerged from trying not to laugh again. She was ranting. "I mean you literally said 'You don't know me.' So I figured you-" Gabriella broke off, not sure what to 'figure' about Troy Bolton.

The object of her sight, hearing, thoughts, and feelings took a dangerous step closer to her. Something had come over Troy while he examined the soft, innocent, and sweet chocolate eyes of Gabriella Montez. For some unknown reason, an often occurrence with her, he felt the desire to be _good_. The desire to be liked _by her_, to be respected _by her, _to be worthy _of her_. The desire to be great for her. And how long had he known her?

Troy's eyes narrowed in confusion at these feelings, what the hell was going on? He battled with himself to stop his words, if he kept talking to Gabriella, if he kept talking so _freely _with her, he'd end up in chains. Metaphorically, of course…of course. So a part of him knew he had to stop, and knew he had to stop this friendship he so desperately wanted to establish with her. But then another part of him, another part wanted to be with Gabriella in every sense, he wanted to know everything about her, he wanted to give her anything that would make her smile her sweet smile or laugh her intoxicating laugh. Everything about her was intoxicating. Strangely, Troy wanted to be the cause of her happiness, because this part of him knew she would be the cause of his.

Gabriella fidgeted under the silence, not to mention his hot gaze that was sending butterflies rampaging throughout her entire body. If something wasn't said soon, she was sure she'd get so intoxicated by him she'd never be able to step foot off this field without breathing his smell or touching his skin. He was just so intoxicating. "O—kay..well I guess I--"

"I didn't judge you." The latter part of Troy was winning. The latter part was making him so completely smitten he didn't even realize Gabriella, the cause of his lovesickness, had said anything. Ironic, huh?

Gabriella copied his signature smirk, no doubt on purpose considering the playful, haughty eyes she was throwing at him. "No, maybe you didn't. You just interrupt me all the time."

"Really. I mean, you're so calm and collected all the time. You follow the rules and your fair. That's what I had you marked down as. A good girl, cause well you are. No judging, I waited until I saw the facts and then marked you down. Just facts."

"Then why further investigate." Gabriella scrunched her eyes in pure curiosity, a trait that Troy found adorable…irresistible.

Troy laughed slightly at her choice of words. "I guess I can only describe this by listing some of the questions I have about you. First, the obvious…how can you stay so unaffected by me?" Gabriella once again mimicked one of Troy's moves. This time it being his sarcastic laugh. But Troy just continued, too focused on the questions that now rapidly rolled off his tongue, "What about your past has _you_ judging _me_? Why are you even here if you're so cool all the time? How are you so nice yet so strong? What are your secrets?" Troy paused and briefly looked down, catching his breath and recollecting his racing thoughts before connecting their eyes once again. "Why do you hide a part of yourself from the world?"

Gabriella, initially freezing in shock, thawed out and took a step towards him, while looking up to maintain their gaze. She could feel his breath mingle with hers and it knocked all the questions she was going to fire back at him out of her head, except for one. "Why do you care?"

Troy paused and the look of determination in his eyes seemed to be searching for an answer to that question. It wasn't until the next few seconds that he exhaled, giving up. "I don't know. I just know I do. For some unknown reason I care about you. I don't even know you."

"Because, it's better if you don't." Gabriella acted as if she hadn't heard his words when really those four words sent her spinning into a sea of pure bliss. She had a sudden urge to crank a pop song as loud as it could go, and dance and jump wildly while singing along crazily to the song and potentially ruining her bed forever. But Gabriella was always a pro at hiding a part of herself. Like he said. That worried her, he couldn't be reading her so easily, could he? "It's much better if you don't care."

Troy smirked but Gabriella could see the pain that reached his eyes and the sadness that suddenly engulfed him. "I know. Believe me. I'm _trying_ not to care."

The pain and sadness hit Gabriella too. But when pain and sadness hit Gabriella…it threw her into another world. She could feel it starting now. How every color of the world was suddenly stripped from her vision. Everything good, and worth living for suddenly vanished. Hope, faith, dreams, laughs, smiles, love…it was all nonexistent. They were all rapidly going away, yet Gabriella could watch, she could see her world turning upside down. She could feel the depression starting to eat at her core. But something was different this time. Among the vast darkness, the abrupt night that blocked her vision…she saw a light. She saw a shimmer of hope, faith, dreams, laughs, smiles, and…love.

And that's when Troy, noticing her terrifying shift of demeanor and the cries that were escaping her silently, yet so loudly to him, hesitantly brought a shaking hand up to Gabriella's cheek. And slowly, smoothly, despite the nervous shaking, softly stroked the length under her eye with the pad of his thumb as his palm rested on her hot cheek, wiping away an imaginary tear. Unknowingly, yet intentionally wiping away her pain, her sadness, her depression. He wiped it all away…with a single stroke of the thumb.

And that's when Troy lowered his arm, sending a sudden shock of ice cold to Gabriella's lonely cheek and leaving sparks of fire on Troy's desiring hand. Troy kneeled back down to the sodden earth, out of place among such barren land, planting another set of seeds.

Gabriella followed adjacent to him, completely abandoning her forgotten, unfinished left side of the field. She started planting seeds mere inches from the boy who controlled her entire emotions. And controlling Gabriella Montez's many emotions was controlling Gabriella.

When Gabriella's face began to resemble that of a burning man, Troy's heart followed suit. When the overpowering sadness filled the air, Troy wanted to cry along with her. When he touched her cheek, he wanted to touch every part of her in every way. When he saw her dull brown eyes tell him so much just from their despair, he wanted to put so much joy in them, no one would ever see those dull orbs again. When he lowered his hand, he felt incomplete, lonely without Gabriella. When he looked away he felt lost, deserted without Gabriella.

Troy continued planting seeds mere inches from the girl who made him feel alive, who made him _feel_. And to make Troy Bolton feel anything was to control Troy.

Neither said another word.


	8. One Week

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. i do not own the _Broken Wing_ series either.

**Title**: Foolin' the World

**A/N: **I'm sorry guys, I know I have consistently long delays between chapters. And I know this is such an old, lame excuse but work and school are just piling and piling. I'll try to get this out more frequently, it'll definitely speed up if I get more reviews =) It's always very nice to know I have people reading and enjoying. So on that note, I'm sure you can guess what I'm about to say, that was one heck of a transition...REVIEW PLEASE. I'd also like to thank those who did review, I appreciate it very much and I'm so happy you're enjoying or at least gave my story a chance. Thank you again =)

One Week

_Gabriella's PoV:_

_One week. 7 days. 168 hours. 10,080 minutes. And counting._

"I cannot believe we've been in this place for one whole week!"

"Tell me about it Tay!" Sharpay said from the center table, "Daily therapy sessions where we're constantly reminded of how we fail at life, daily work and chores that tear away at my perfect skin, and hour long classes where we have to _participate_ and _answer_ questions _right_ or else stand in the corner holding a stack of books above our heads looking like fucking retards…damn that was embarrassing."

I laughed slightly at Sharpay's speech. Slightly, because laughing was the last thing I wanted to do right now. I wanted to curl up in a ball and never open my eyes again, I wanted to stand up and walk out of here never to be seen again. I wanted to scream, I wanted to close my mouth forever. I was…confused to say the least.

"One week! I've gone without gourmet food!" Taylor exclaimed while dramatically falling back on Brianna's single bed. It was almost time for lights out and she was MIA, as always.

"One week! I've gone without a drink or a hit!"

Taylor laughed, now set on beating Sharpay at the 'one week' game. They continued to say things that I too missed. Shopping, movies, friends, and just being free. But, there was something I could say that would have them both beat. That, in my mind, had shopping, and movies, and friends beat, no contest.

I missed talking to Troy.

One week! I've gone without talking to Troy Bolton! That's 7 days without hearing his irresistible voice addressing me. That's 168 hours without hearing his poor attempts to charm me into his arms. That's 10,080 minutes and counting since our last talk, our last powerful talk out in the fields. The talk that still had me grinning, still had me transfixed and absolutely smitten. And the truly stupid part about all of this? It's my fault we aren't talking.

I guess our _real _last talk would be that same day after our punishment in the fields, at one PM for lunch. See, we hadn't spoken for the last 15 minutes of our punishment and hadn't spoken for the hour and a half when everyone else from Level 1 came out to do the mandatory fieldwork either. We didn't even see each other at school, which was basically just sitting in the same room, an hour for each subject. The same teacher, the same 'advanced classmates,' at least for my case. I was in the honors program, while Troy…well he wasn't.

But we finally saw each other at our station in the kitchen. I had already started making the grilled cheese sandwiches when he strolled in, dressed in a gray long-sleeved shirt and dark, torn jeans. It was a different outfit than what he had on in the morning, I was in a different outfit too. The reason? Simply put, the two hours of field work we endured, had our clothes looking pretty beaten, pretty soaked, and pretty dirty. Not pretty at all. Nor were my thoughts on what I was about to do.

In all that time of being without him, I had a lot of thinking to do. I couldn't understand how Troy had such an affect on me. Ever since I decided to send myself here…ever since I ran away to come here, I knew I had to keep my control in tact. I knew I couldn't let anyone get to me, I had to be collected and calm, no matter what, so I could get better. I was doing fine, until Troy.

In a second he had the sinister feelings I so desperately tried to lock away forever spill out, so rapidly, so familiarly…and really all he had done was say he was _trying _not to care about me? Hadn't I wanted that? Hadn't I told him it was better he didn't? So why did that blackness still overcome me? Wasn't it only the second day I had known him? Wasn't it only the third time I had spoken to him? So why did what he say matter so much? Didn't I hardly even know him? So why was it I hung onto his every word? Wasn't he the kind of guy my mom told me to stay away from? Wasn't he the kind of guy she would so entirely disapprove of? And wasn't that what I was so entirely trying to gain back? Her approval? So why was it that I still so desperately crave his presence? Even more frightening…if he was the kind of troublemaker I was taught to stay away from, why did my body go into bliss when it was next to his? If I was so afraid of him and what he could do to me, and I know I am afraid, why did I feel the need to go running to him and ask him to take my pain away? Why _could _he take my pain away? He threw away the darkness as quickly as he caused it. Why was that possible? Why did he seem so capable of hurting me, yet a part of me needed him to heal me? I don't understand Troy Bolton. I don't understand what he does to me. That's the greatest problem.

So, he walked in, and when he saw me, his eyes brightened with a mix of anticipation and hesitation. But what made my breathing literally stop was the joy I noticed in his cerulean eyes. I had never seen that in his eyes before…I wondered if I imagined it, or if I really was the cause of it. Then, of course, his mouth had to stretch into that all too familiar smirk I now associated with his name, and I knew it couldn't have been joy I saw. _"Hey."_ That's all he said. That's all it took for me to question what I was about to do. But, I spent hours thinking about it and I knew it was best.

"_Uh, hi"_ I started nervously. Troy was reckless and impulsive and I still didn't know what his reactions to things like I was about to do were. I was so afraid, so afraid that he'd react like my ex-boyfriend usually did. But then…I knew it had to be done, I had so many reasons to stop this friendship, or relationship, or whatever with Troy Bolton.

His smirk grew. And amusement twinkled in his sapphire eyes. _"'Uh hi?' That's so…un-you like."_

"_You don't know what is or isn't me!" _I snapped back. He thinks he reads me so easily and I suppose he does for some parts of me. There were so many parts to me though. And those parts, he couldn't read, he couldn't understand, he would hopefully never get a chance to try and understand.

His smirk remained plastered to his gorgeous face but his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. _"Oh—kay, I guess that's true. No need to bite my head off though. I need it to draw in the women."_

"_Sorry." _I was apologizing for more than my snappy reply, I was apologizing for what I was about to do.

"_It's cool." _It was silent as we started making the soup. I was trying to get up the nerve to say what I had planned out before. I was so scared of his reaction, I was so afraid he'd be like him. I figured he must have been forming words in his mind, as well. I could tell by the focused look in his eyes. And when he stopped what he was doing to turn to me and stare me directly in the eyes, I knew what he was about to talk about.

"_So…I know most chicks would expect some elaboration or um explanation on what happened in the field earlier, but I kind of just want to keep moving…forward, you know? I meant what I said, but uh it was strange saying it, that's for sure. I never say what I mean, if you…know what I'm saying." _He was so nervous. So un-him like. I guess that's hypocritical, but I _did_ know what kind of guy he was. That's why I was about to cut the cords with him completely. I thought of everything, his behavior and antics, what Dr. Sloane said he used to do. He was dangerous. I couldn't handle dangerous. I shouldn't get caught up with dangerous.

"_Anyways, to get to the point. I feel really strange around you. A good strange, a scary strange. I don't know what it means but I want to find out. I'm always up for solving mysteries. So, uh, maybe we could just talk? Or, hang out? Well…I guess that's not possible since you like to follow the rules and everything…which isn't so bad…but kind of bothersome. I guess…talking then? We can stick to talking for now and just get to know each--"_

"_Troy...I really don't think that's a good idea. I'm flattered and everything…it's pretty obvious you don't ask girls to _talk_ very often. But…I just…don't want to. I don't think we should get to know each other. I don't think it's a good idea." _I said it, the words feeling like venom and poison as they leaked out of my mouth. The words still felt like lies, full on, blatant lies, but it _was_ the truth. Me and him…talking, getting to know each other…when I already lost control around him when I didn't even know him yet, was not a good idea. I remember bracing myself for what he'd say, for what he'd _do_. I mean, he was dangerous; being around him was a dangerous, bad idea. I braced myself for his wrath or arguing, for his confusion or questions, his demands or yells.

I braced myself for all the wrong things.

He let out a long sigh and ran his hand through his tousled, amazing brown hair. _"I understand. It's not a good idea, is it?" _He laughed then, his dry, detached laugh that seemed to be the only kind of laugh he could make. _"Maybe, that's why I was all for it. Bad ideas are my specialty. Anyways, thanks Montez, it really isn't a good idea. I know I shouldn't get close to you, I just thought…maybe...anyways, worst idea I've ever had. You're right." _And he meant it. I could tell he meant what he was saying by how he seemed to struggle getting the words out. He did just tell me before that he never says what he means…and I knew what he was saying.

He hid a part of himself too.

_FTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTWFTW_

_Troy's PoV:_

The door to the girl's bathroom opened and closed. Immediately, I stopped my movements and shoved the girl I was with, Brittany? into the nearest shower stall, nearly killing her as she got tangled in the curtains. I barely even registered the light brown head that continued to fall. I don't even know why I reacted that way. Usually I'd let the poor bystander walk in on me right when things were getting heated, and not give a damn. But I don't know. Something about the air when the door opened made me suddenly uneasy. It made me bizarrely guilty. And those were emotions I was so unaccustomed—Oh hell. It couldn't be…

"_Troy_?!"

Gabriella Montez.

"Damn. I knew it. Of course it's you, Montez. Those damn feelings…of course."

Who else would have that affect on me? Who else would be giving me this blissful, curse-like affect now? The bullets of fire mixed with electricity that shot throughout my entire body. The way my head felt on fire and my stomach became empty with butterflies. Boy butterflies…that's about as manly as I could make it. Gabriella Montez frequently gave me the case of boy butterflies. And all she had to do was say my name.

She continued staring at me with wide, beautifully brown eyes, before parting her perfectly shaped lips to speak. The first time I'd heard her wonderful, seductive voice in ages. Or what felt like ages. "Um, yeah it's me?…what are you--"

"God Troy! What'd you push me for!? Did you think it was a guide or something?....Oh, hey Gabriella."

"Brianna?"

I snapped my fingers. Brianna! That's what it was.

"Look, Troysie. Ella, here, is my roommate." Brittany stated as she walked up to me and latched onto my arm with both of hers. "She won't tell on us, she's too nice to do that. Right, _Ella_?" I was too mesmerized by Gabriella, in her white shorts and long sleeve dark blue shirt, black hair messy…so fucking sexy…to hear anything Brittany was saying.

"No, I won't tell, but," I narrowed my eyes at Gabriella curiously and that's when her eyes shifted from Brittany to me. A chilled look overcame them, and an icy laugh escaped her beautiful lips, "Don't listen to anything _Troysie _says. He's just the same arrogant, selfish, player I _judged _him as." Instantly my heart fell and the fire that felt so amazing soaring throughout my body extinguished in a split second at her words that were so full of hate and detest. It was if her chilled words and iced laugh put the fire out. Leaving me shivering with nothing to keep me warm.

"Anyways, I'll talk to you back in the room Brianna." Oh yeah, Brianna. Why was it that I only remembered her name when Gabriella said it? "See you at 8 Bolton."

8? Please. 8 my ass. I went 7 days without Gabriella saying a word to me. 7 days without me saying a word to her. 7 days of ignoring my constant stares, my constant attempts to be alone with her despite what I told her in the kitchen that day. Because sure, it was a bad idea for me and her to get close. It was a bad idea for _me _to get close to _her_. But even with the distancing these past 7 days…it was doing nothing. If anything I was craving her more, thinking of her more, dreaming of her more. Yeah, that last one was for sure.

And now all I got was _See you at 8 Bolton?_ "No way."

Gabriella turned from the doorway, as my words stopped her from leaving. Her eyes landed on mine, blasting me around the world and back. "Sorry?"

"Look Brianna," I addressed the girl next to me without breaking my stare with Gabriella, "Why don't you go to bed. I'm gonna stay back and talk with Gabriella."

"_Gabriella!? _Wha—Why would you want to do that!?!"

I didn't have to look over to see how pissed and jealous she was getting. Awesome. I might as well milk it. "Eh, you know. Group bonding business. She's my favorite group member."

When Brianna spoke her voice was oddly pleased, "You two are in the same group?"

I raised my eyebrows and faced her. Her jealousy and irritation were gone. "Yeah?"

She gave one quick nod, a smug smile on her face and obediently let go of my arm and walked past Gabriella on the way to the door. "Talk to you back in the room Gabriella."

The door closed and I momentarily forgot that I was alone with Gabriella. What was up with that reaction just now? Why was she not only 'who could give a shit' about me calling Gabriella my favorite group member, but she was _happy_ about it. It couldn't be that she thought I was being sarcastic. I was definitely not being sarcastic. There was no trace of sarcasm in that full-blown truthful statement, as much as I wished there was. So what was it? Was this Brittany girl more complex than I thought? No…she was definitely just a wild chick, angry and bitchy. Maybe—

"Uh Troy?" I jumped at the angelic voice that blew away all my thoughts and left me with one. Gabriella Montez. "Wow, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you…wait I _scared _you?" She laughed while taking a step closer to me and I blazed while staring at her stupidly. "_You_ said you wanted to talk, remember?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Jesus. Where did my cool go? Was she capable of blowing that away too? Damn it, I already knew the answer to that.

The smile remained on her face, but her eyes were still stinging me with their frozenness. "So?"

I didn't speak, for once not because of the beauty of her eyes but because of their flatness…darkness. They held none of the emotion I could usually detect with my own eyes closed. They were just so…cold. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"What?"

I ignored her reasonable confusion. "Your eyes. Their cold."

Her body stiffened but for some reason it wasn't because she was mad. "Gee, thanks." No, her voice wasn't mad, maybe sarcastic, but it was more…nervous…anxious suddenly?

"Well," I said with more abruptness then I intended, "Are you gonna answer my question?"

Her brown orbs narrowed but still remained livid, if not even more. "You have a lot of questions."

"What's wrong with your eyes?" I asked another time. As much as I wanted to know why she was so cold, now I was just asking to annoy her. She's hot when she's annoyed.

Gabriella took a step closer, and I could feel the temperature in the room go down, the opposite of what usually happened. "Do you always just say whatever's on your mind?"

I didn't have to think about this to answer honestly. "No, not at all."

"It sure seems like you do," she replied in a heartbeat, "It confuses the heck out of people."

"Eh," I shrugged, looking down at her, enjoying how close she was, "I just say what I want, when I want."

"100% agreed with you on that."

I smirked. I just couldn't stop being happy when I was around her…even when she was sending icicles my way. "What's wrong with your eyes?" I watched her entire face in anticipation for her response.

"What's wrong with _your_ face?" My smirk grew.

"Spent too much time in the sun. Damn field work," I said, putting on a false act of frustration. "And what's wrong with your attitude, Sunshine?" She grimaced at my nickname. Jesus Christ. Even her grimaces had my heart melting. Ah, damn it! I was seriously turning into the mother of all pansies!!!

"What's wrong with yours?" Gabriella's harsh voice replaced my self-reprimanding thoughts.

"Life time of shit," I replied half-heartedly. Half-heartedly because this truth was easy to tell and I was far more focused on the next question I was about to ask. She was just so harsh right now…in every way. "You're mad at me?"

"You're surprised?"

I faltered, absolutely surprised. "Completely," I might have thought about everything I had done since the last time I saw her, since I usually do things without thinking and don't realize until later that people might be pissed or hurt or whatever about it. But I hadn't interacted with Gabriella for a fucking week so I couldn't have done anything! "What'd I even do?"

"What were you just doing now?"

I expected bull as an answer to my question but nothing was as shitty as the answer she gave me. "You're mad cause of Brittany!?"

"Brianna?"

"Whatever!" I snapped. Who could care about her name right now? "How can you be mad cause of her!?"

"I'm not mad."

"What's wrong with your eyes?" This time I asked to prove her wrong. She was the definition of mad.

"Would you shut up!?" Point proven.

"Alright, so you're not mad," Gabriella, I thought it impossible, sent even colder chills my way when she noted the sarcasm laced in my voice, "But that ice your sending my way has something to do with Brittany?"

"Brianna. And what ice?"

What ice!? Damn she really kept me on my toes. Maybe I should be careful what I wish for. I wanted her to give me emotions. Well, right now my brain was about to explode (in a bad way) from all the different feelings she was giving me. She's gonna make me fucking bipolar! Not to mention I set out to 'solve the mystery of Gabriella Montez.' I didn't know this girl consisted of 200 different mysteries. Exaggeration? Not a big one.

Okay so basically she's mad cause of Brit—Brianna. But why? Why the hell would she care? She said she didn't wanna talk to me, she basically tore my heart into a thousand pieces when she said that and now she's mad cause of Brianna!? Jealousy? Not Gabriella. Me being unreliable or unfaithful? Okay that's just bullshit. If she knows anything about me, then she knows I'm both of those things. Besides she said we, whatever the hell we were, was over! "Hmm. Nope, I can't figure this one out."

"Figure what out?"

"You, of course. You're the cause of _all_ my headaches."

"Very flattering Bolton."

All right, so I won't figure out why she's mad at the Brianna thing, I have a more curious matter to attend to. A question that I'm dying to know the answer to for a lot of different reasons that, if I actually get the answer, could change everything about this hell on earth. Here I go. "So, I have a question."

"Shocking."

"No," I retaliated, "What'd be shocking is if I got an answer."

Gabriella looked away. We had been in an eye lockdown this entire time. Me trying to decipher the reasons behind the dark, coldness of hers and her, she was probably…(now most girls I would say were hypnotized…more pansy assness…by my eyes) but Gabriella wasn't phased by my looks…ever it seemed. So she was probably…oh hell when do I ever know what's _really_ going on with her, other than what goes on with the part she shows?

"Okay," I took a breath, "Why are you talking to me?"

She had a moment of shock, her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly. But it was there as quick as it left to be replaced by that same look of frost.

"Would you knock that off?" I asked, referring to her glare, "Look, I thought you didn't want to talk to me anymore."

"Talk to an arrogant, selfish, playboy, troublemaker? Bottom of my to-do list."

"Really." I deadpanned.

She looked back at me and said with as much determination as I had said my last word with disbelief. "Yes."

"I doubt it."

"Okay, see, maybe I don't give you answers because you never accept them."

I stared deeper into her eyes, finding no joy in their lack of beauty, just curiosity and slight amusement at how irritated they were. "I don't accept lies."

"That _wasn'_t a lie." Again with the same force, too much force, like she was trying to not just convince me but herself as well.

"They just keep on comin'."

She started to give me her look that would scare off an enraged tiger, her look that I had become so customary to in these past 20 minutes. But I guess she was getting as sick of it as I was because almost immediately she averted her entire head away from me.

Perfect time to try again. "So why are you talking to me?"

Her voice wasn't as harsh but still sent good and bad chills down my spine. "Because what else would I be doing at 1 AM in the morning?"

I softened my voice as well. I figured I had irritated her enough for the day. "Sleeping maybe."

"Kinda been having trouble doing that lately."

I sighed, "Ditto." I'd be damned before I told her I couldn't sleep because I missed her.

"Troy?" I noticed she hesitated before continuing, "Why are _you_ talking to _me_? I thought you didn't want to either?"

"Nuh-uh. I never said I didn't want to. I said it was better if we didn't."

She shook her head slightly. "Then why talk to me now?"

I was talking to her now because I couldn't stop myself. Because I needed to talk to her. I didn't say any of that pansy crap. "I hate doing what's best."

"That's stupid."

"This time?" Distancing myself from Gabriella would be the smartest thing for me to do, but damn she was just so amazing…so addictive. A drug. "This time…I don't think so."

"Yeah well this time is the last time." Gabriella took a step away from me and my heart subsequently fell a step. "I can't be around you." She turned and walked to the door.

Without thinking I ran, "Hold up!" Placing myself in front of her, I blocked the door. "It's not gonna be that easy, Montez."

She refused to look at me, instead finding the ground far more interesting. "Why can't it be that easy?"

Stepping closer I tried to ignore how she kept distance between us by moving away. "I think you ask as many questions as I do."

"Why can't it be!?"

I wonder how the floor felt…getting yelled at like that. Probably didn't mind, since Gabriella's olive skin accentuated by her navy shirt and long legs shown off by those white shorts just seemed all the sexier when she was pissed. "You look smokin' in that outfit by the way."

"Can you just answer my question!?!"

I whistled, "Number one difference between the two of us: you can't handle not getting answers."

"Bolton!" She still hadn't looked at me, now choosing to stare at the door behind me. "Why can't I leave?"

Shrugging, I stepped closer, surprised and ecstatic to see she kept her feet planted, allowing us to get mere inches away from each other. "I'm not done talking to you."

"Well I am."

I laughed, noting her determination in lying to me even though it proved worthless time and time again. "No, you're not."

"_Yes_, I am." Way too forceful again.

I answered in a cheery voice, "Nope."

"_Yes_."

I blew off her yes with a simple, "Nah."

"Quit it!!! I'm going back to my room before you get our entire group in loads of trouble!"

"Loads of trouble," I thought about the possibilities, "Loads of trouble. Sounds fun." I declared.

"Sounds _stupid_."

"Nah." I used the same carefree tone of voice.

"I swear I'll rip those three letters from your vocabulary physically if I have to."

Wow! I liked that! "Yeesh, Montez! Where's the nice, goody girl I knew all but 7 days ago?"

She was back to examining the poorly tiled floor. At first I thought she wasn't going to say anything and I prepared to say something else until I heard a quiet mumble, a whisper that normally would've gone on undetected if it weren't for my ears that seemed programmed to pick up Gabriella frequencies. "She's gone," Gabriella whispered, "when she's around you."

For a second I thought I made those words up in my head. "Yeah?"

Her head quickly tilted up to meet mine. "You weren't supposed to hear that!" She swallowed, a swallow so big that it could gulp up Lake Ontario.

"Gabriella…" She bolted past me and had her hand on the doorknob, but for some reason she wavered before opening the door. I laughed. She was so amusing to watch. "You're not leaving?" I joked.

She turned the knob and opened the door. Shit. Quickly I followed her example and bolted forward, grabbing her arm. Smoothly, I spun her around so I was once again in-between her and the door. "You're not leaving." This time I stated it, not giving her a choice.

"Why not!?"

My hand was still locked on her arm. It felt so perfect there and it craved more. "Like I said, your _smokin' _in that outfit!"

Frankly, I was completely unprepared for her head to spin around and catch my eyes in a frozen gaze. After not even being able to look at her eyes for the last 15 minutes, I wasn't ready for them and they left me paralyzed. Frozen.

"Whoa, whoa. Alright, I was just kiddin' around Montez."

"That's all you ever do." She didn't say it forcefully, or with resentment. She just said it, probably just saying it to confirm another thing she knew about me. But she didn't know. She didn't know anything, fortunately.

Still as that thought crossed my mind, I couldn't refrain from asking, "How would you know?"

"I know guys like you." This time I could hear the bitterness in her statement.

"Guys like me. You know, that's really all I've been hearing since I came to this shit hole."

"Maybe you should actually listen then."

I sneered, knowing what I'd say next. "Nah."

"Oh my--"

"I may cause shit," I interrupted her, feeling that growingly familiar need to be liked by her. "But there's more to me than that."

"Yeah you cause shit and don't give a shit."

"You think that's it?"

"I think…" she stopped for a moment. Then she shook her head from side to side, clearing her mind of something. "You're reckless, impulsive, and unpredictable. That's all I need to know."

"Bull. _That's_ pretty stupid, Montez." Even though I said it with such certainty I couldn't ignore the wave of uncertainty that rushed by me. There _was_ more to me than that, wasn't there?

Gabriella sighed, "I'm leaving."

"Close," I said, shaking my head to show her she was wrong as I continued, "You're hiding. You're running," I sighed, "You think I don't see it?"

"You see too much!!!! That's the problem!"

I wanted to speak but I couldn't. What does someone say to that? Sorry, I'll keep my eyes shut from now on?

"It's scary being around you Troy! The most I know about you _is _that you're reckless! That you don't think before you talk or act! I don't know anything about _you_. But…what you do to me…it's scary! I've only spoken to you, what, 5 times!?"

"Funny."

She had turned to go again but then faced me, puzzlement written across her flawless face. "See what I mean about confusing the heck outta people? What exactly is funny?"

"It's funny cause for _me_, it's _amazing_ being around you. It's the best feeling in the world really. I guess because for the first time since I was 10…I can actually feel _something_."

"What do you mean?"

I stopped to mull that over. Let's see…how do I say this? A minute or so went by and surprisingly Gabriella stayed in the bathroom with me, waiting for her answer.

I ran a hand through my hair, a habit I apparently got from my father. "You know when you're dad would pick you up from school and you instantly felt secure and safe just from being with him?"

"Yeah." Gabriella smiled slightly, just a sweet, understanding smile that made me happy and bitter to see that she knew that feeling.

"Never felt that." Her brown spheres locked with my blue, her ice melting along with her smile. "You know when you're mom would smile at something you did, showing how proud she was, and you'd feel so damn happy that you caused that smile?"

"…Yeah." No smile appeared on Gabriella's face, instead just a look of remembrance, of sadness from remembering.

"Never felt that." She kept her eyes on mine and I actually thanked god that I couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Or how when you're with your friends and you just get this sense of joy and fun. You feel free. Or when you're at school and you answer a question right, then the teacher looks at you impressed, and you feel smart. When you're parents' brag about you to their friends, you feel special. And you're dreams, that are encouraged by your parents, you start to feel excited. You're mom keeps you in her arms…and you feel loved."

Gabriella didn't move.

"Never felt any of that."

Gabriella just kept peering into my eyes, nothing on her face that could give me an idea as to what she was thinking.

I moved my hand up her arm, for I never took it off, to her cheek. "But with you," I stroked her cheek with my thumb like I had out in the field seven days ago, "Doing this…I feel it all. A rush of every emotion, just from talking with you. Being with you. You make me feel alive, Gabriella. I'm not ready to give that up yet."

We remained like that for some time. Just me stroking under her eye with my thumb, my palm resting on her cheek. And her eyes, back to the beautiful deep brown depths, were staring at my dark blue eyes with so many things running through them it was impossible to decipher even one.

I leaned in and was going to do what I had been craving to do with her since I laid eyes on her. But I was about to do it in a much different fashion than I remember fantasizing doing it days ago in that waiting room. I think…I was about to kiss her with love. Unluckily and luckily she parted her lips to talk, oblivious to the fact I was about to kiss her.

"I'm so different from you Troy. Everything…everything makes me feel. Stronger than it should. And finally when I have my emotions under control…you come along. You break my control just by looking at me. I'm fighting so hard to get my life back, Troy. That means I need to keep my emotions locked. I can't let myself get out of hand…I need to be myself."

I never stopped my motions on her cheek and never straightened up after leaning in, meaning we looked like we were going to kiss any second. If only. We were both talking so softly I felt like if I stopped my ministrations I wouldn't hear her at all.

"How can you be yourself if you don't let yourself feel when you should?" I asked softly, "How can you be you, if you're fighting so hard to keep your feelings out of reach, when feeling is what makes us human? I should know…I couldn't feel, I haven't felt alive since I was 10. I haven't felt like me, until last week, out in the fields. I can't even begin to tell you how good I felt, being alone with you. How good it feels now! Gabriella, it could be so much greater!"

She stepped away, pulling out from my hand. And my previous worries of not being able to hear her if I wasn't touching her were completely irrelevant because she was back to talking loudly. "And I can't even begin to tell you how terrified I feel around you! Troy if I get close to you, which at this rate is happening whether I like it or not, you could literally be the death of me! The way you can control my entire mood with just the blink of an eye, you can control me, what _I do, _how _I _act, how I feel! Don't you see!? You're already too close!!!"

"I'd never hurt you."

"You don't know that that's what I'm talking about!" For some reason, the way she said this, I believed her. Even though it was clearly a lie, I think part of it was true. But if part of her isn't worried that I'll hurt her, what is that part worried about?

"Gabriella, listen, I'm afraid to be around you too. I'm afraid to get close to you because I know I could get hurt in the end. I know that the closer I get, the more it'll hurt when you're gone."

"Then let's not get close!"

"Why!? Cause we're afraid!? Fear doesn't dictate anything!"

"Fear dictates everything! It dictates whether I live or die!"

"That's if you give in to fear. And you won't, not this time."

Gabriella took another step back, trying to escape though ironically getting further and further from the door. "How can you possibly know that? You don't know what happened last time, or what's going to happen this time."

"You're right, I don't."

"Then--"

"No one ever knows what's going to happen. It's called the future. You just have to take a risk sometimes, Two-shoes."

"No," Gabriella denied, at the same time not caring at all about my nickname for her, "You should know a few things about what you're going to do before you go into it, not just barging in and…taking a risk."

I was too focused on my next question…actually, no, I just ignored her. Yup, I definitely just ignored her goody two-shoes remark, instead of pulling some halfway decent reply outta my ass. "So, you really don't want to get to know me?"

"Jesus," she exasperated, clearly angry that I wouldn't leave her alone about this, "Do you want me to list all the reasons why we shouldn't get to know each other?"

I replied instantly, "Actually that'd be really helpful."

"One," she took a step closer to me this time, set on making her list as effective as possible, "I don't know anything about who you are."

I laughed, "That's getting old. Besides we'll get to know each other."

"Two," another step closer, "I've been taught my entire life to stay away from guys like you."

"That's stereotyping and judging."

"Three," one more step, she was inches away from me again, "I lose my control when I'm around you."

"I won't let you do anything stupid."

Gabriella looked down at the floor, back at me, and then took a step forward so that if I tilted my head just half an inch, our lips would be connected in a kiss I'm sure would leave my world spinning.

"…The last time I let someone in…I tried to kill myself."

My world started spinning anyway. Even for as long as I assumed and pretty much known she was suicidal…seeing it come directly from her lips felt like twenty punches in the gut. Hearing the girl I think I might love, after just one week of knowing her, say that she tried to kill herself had me feeling dead. I felt dead.

How is it that the same girl who makes me feel alive can, at the same time, kill me in such an effortless way?

* * *

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	9. Revelation

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. i do not own the _Broken Wing_ series either. I, in no way, own Jennifer Chung or her music or anything related to her. Just a very big fan =)

**Title**: Foolin' the World

**A/N: **thanks for reviewing =) here's the next chapter! please review=) Also, Gabriella's song in this chapter is Everyone Needs by Jennifer Chung on youtube. check her out! Her original songs are beautiful!!!!! Her account is JenniferJChung. She is amazing. So yeah go take a look at that if you would like to hear what Gabriella's lyrics sound like. One more thing, on photobucket i put some pictures together for Foolin' the World. The link is in my profile. They're banners like runninequalslife has on her profile, although not nearly as good =) So look at those if you want to. That's it. I hope you enjoy.

Revelation

_Narrator:_

The three girls of Group #30 had just taken their seats at the all too familiar rectangle table after reciting the school prayer to their guides. A good couple minutes had passed, none of them saying a word, out of habit, although each was curious as to where the boys were.

"The boys are late." Taylor stated, finally overcoming the silence that filled the room, for not only were the boys late, but Dr. Sloane wasn't present either.

"Yeah. How exactly do you manage that?" Sharpay asked incredibly, "If they found some way to get pass those fucking guides I need to know pronto. Should tell Brianna too." Gabriella and Taylor rolled their eyes at Sharpay's last sentence that had been muttered as an after thought, not meant for their ears.

Deciding to prolong the small conversation she and her two group members had going, Gabriella voiced the obvious, "Dr. Sloane isn't here either."

Taylor looked around the room, slowly and deliberately, until she finally said in a near whisper, "You think," Taylor stared into Gabriella's eyes, seeing as she was seated directly to her right at the table, "It's a trap?"

"You did not just say that in such a serious tone!" Gabriella tried to put humor into her words, but failed.

Taylor merely continued to stare into Gabriella's brown eyes that were peculiarly dull today. "…You know you're thinking it too."

At this, Gabriella turned away from Taylor's gaze and peered out the window across from her, knowing she indeed was thinking it too.

"Alright," a deep voice sounded from outside the door, causing Gabriella, Taylor, and Sharpay to turn to face the doorway behind their backs, "Dr. Sloane will be here momentarily. Let me hear the prayer." It was one of the boy's guides.

Unanimously, the boys of Group #30 recited the school prayer in a trance-like voice, no inflection heard, just repeating what had been said every morning and night for the last 10 days. "I am nothing. I am less than nothing. I am a burden to my family and to my country. Who I am is indecent and I must change. Quickly and efficiently, I must change and improve myself to the standards of God. I must thank Dr. Sloane for every punishment I receive for it brings me to a higher calling and better life."

"Good. See you in an hour, boys." The door opened revealing the 3 male group members, each looking especially bored on their tenth day in Willow Oak Clinic.

First, Ryan Evans came in with his friendly, small smile directed towards each girl. His short-sleeved dark green shirt reflected the green specks in his kind eyes. He slowly, despairingly walked behind the girls' chairs to get to his own across from Sharpay, who gave him no acknowledgement.

Next, Chad Danforth with his signature wild hair that surprisingly added to his good looks entered the room with his also signature "I don't care" expression. Still, the girls could feel the good nature he naturally portrayed, and Gabriella smiled at him, comforted by the easy-going aura that he filled the room with. He wore a short-sleeved black v-neck shirt, with a white undershirt, and light jeans with a red design on the front pocket. As he walked to the left of Taylor, past Dr. Sloane's seat, and to his own chair across from Gabriella, he said a quiet "Hey, guys," to the silent girls, at the same time returning Gabriella's sweet smile with one of his own.

Finally, the boy who Gabriella had been dreading to see since her encounter with him 7 hours earlier sauntered into the room with his hands in his pockets. Unlike every other day, Troy Bolton walked straight to his seat, ignoring Taylor's glare, and refrained from looking at Gabriella. Not even one glance from the corner of his eye, Troy just stared straight ahead. His long-sleeved dark blue shirt with a white pattern on the front, paired with dark jeans and a white belt made Gabriella stare at him with a desire she immediately felt ashamed of. His hair was tousled and wet, obviously just coming from a shower, and Gabriella's thoughts of that, caused another round of shame.

Disappointed that Troy had ignored her glare instead of returning one like usual, Taylor improvised, "Oh Jesus. This day is already starting off weird."

Troy quickly looked at Taylor as he sat down in his chair across from her, and asked uncaringly, "What."

"Troy Bolton actually came in for group therapy without getting the club!" Taylor exclaimed, mocking Troy's idiotic behavior. The club was like one of those discipline sticks that cops carry around. Only, for the members of Willow Oak Clinic, the guides held them and used it when they felt necessary. Misbehavior, swearing, misconduct, talking out of turn, anything that they felt asked for a hit from the club, then they gave it. And Troy received it a lot.

Troy shrugged, no longer looking at Taylor, instead staring at a piece of art on the wall behind her, "Yeah, well, I'm turning over a new leaf."

"Right." Taylor responded disbelievingly.

"Really. This place does wonders." The sarcasm that filled the room from both Taylor and Troy was overwhelming.

"Bolton's actually been acting really weird all day." Chad chimed in, "I think he has his period."

Taylor smiled at Chad's remark, while Troy just kept on examining the painting. "Jesus Chad. How'd you know? Follow me into the bathroom this morning or something?"

"He's definitely not anywhere close to a girl." Sharpay noted while admiring Troy's features from the other end of the table.

"The hitting on Bolton is getting really old, Summers." Ryan complained for the 3 other group members in the room who agreed. Troy could care less.

"Quit calling me Summers, Evans."

"Only if you quit drooling over Troy, Summers."

"Guys," Troy's tone of annoyance mirrored that of Ryan's, "I really can't handle another one of your sissy fights today, alright?"

"They're only sissy cause Evans is such a-"

"Good morning, students!" Dr. Sloane entered the room cutting off Sharpay's insult, "I'm sorry for coming in so late. Arriving after my students is something I detest doing. However, I had to attend to Mr. Cross and Mr. Baylor." Dr. Sloane took her seat at head of the table, "Now, we have much to get done today, seeing as it's your 10th day here and you're notebooks are due."

At the end of their first group therapy session, each student had gotten a black notebook. Something, as Dr. Sloane put it, to vent into, to release every emotion you have that you feel you cannot show in person. She said to write about their lives, what got them into this situation, and how they feel about their lives before, and now. What they think will become of them. What the people in their lives are feeling, who they miss, who they hate, who they love. Pretty much, she said to write about everything these 6 kids were unwilling to write about.

Troy was still staring at the painting, not out of interest, he hated paintings, nor out of absentmindedness. For Troy was thinking of a lot. Gabriella Montez. _"The last time I let someone in…I tried to kill myself." _When she had said that Troy's body went paralyzed. He had no idea what to say and what to do. So when Gabriella ran out of the bathroom, he didn't follow her. He didn't stop her, like he wanted to.

Chad elbowed his side and whispered so Dr. Sloane couldn't hear, "Dude, get your shit-book out." Troy followed Chad's order in a hypnotic state, barely registering the fact that he leaned down to his bag and pulled out the black notebook resting in it. He was still thinking about Gabriella, but in a different way than he had been all week. Instead of her body, her face, her voice, and her personality, he was now thinking about what could've happened to make her want to die. He was thinking about the 'person she let in', he was thinking of ways he could help, but was coming up with nothing. He was thinking about helping her, but in order to do that he needed to know what was hurting her.

"Now, as I said at your first group therapy session, on this day all of you will share a section of your notebook with the rest of us. Of course they are not complete, yet. They will be complete the day you leave my school, the day you are truly enlightened. And until that day you will continue writing in your notebooks. Your personal escapes. However, in order for us to be saved, it is a requirement that we share what is hurting us. Unless we know what hurts one another, how is it that we will be saved?" Those words slightly pulled Troy out of his trance. To think he actually understood and agreed with what Dr. Sloane was saying! "Ms. Montez? Why don't you start and set an example for your classmates, as usual?"

If the disgust and surprise he felt at agreeing with Dr. Sloane wasn't enough to send Troy back to reality, the possibility of Gabriella talking about her life, potentially talking about how she tried to kill herself, sent him flying back to reality and made him hit the ground unbelievably hard. He couldn't hear Gabriella say those words again! He couldn't bear to hear her say she was suicidal again! Even if he wanted answers, he wasn't ready for them. He wouldn't be ready until his heart came back from being shredded from the first time he heard Gabriella say those things.

Gabriella looked away from Troy for the first time since he entered completely ignoring her. Sure she was looking at him because he looked especially gorgeous in this particular ensemble, but moreover, she was looking at him to see what his reaction was from that morning, one AM. She wished she didn't look. Just as she expected, he wasn't acknowledging her, he wouldn't even look at her, which was a drastic change since before he would make her unbearably uncomfortable by never ceasing his gaze on her. Of course she didn't show her uneasiness, instead just stared straight ahead out the window. But today, it was so different. It was so different because of what she said earlier. He was reacting like he had. She was thankful it wasn't anywhere close to a reaction like her ex-boyfriend but…this reaction brought back even more painful memories. Taking a deep breath, trying to swallow every thought about Troy Bolton and his agonizingly familiar reaction to her confession, Gabriella finally spoke in her always confident voice, no matter what was going on in her head, "Yes, Doctor Sl--"

"NO!" Gabriella's eyes whipped back to Troy in response to his loud panicked outburst.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bolton?" Dr. Sloane inquired, for once, seeming just as confused as her students.

"I mean…" Troy cleared his throat, "I'll go."

As everyone in the room's eyes widened from even greater surprise, Dr. Sloane went back to the normality of things and remained composed, not the slightest bit surprised at Troy for volunteering, "Very well, Mr. Bolton. Since you did behave this morning and refrained from getting punishment from your guide I will grant you one merit, which brings you to…"

"Twenty!" Troy butted in, also back to his old, outspoken self, "Hallelujah! Level 2 get out the swords and shields! Troy Bolton is coming and he's a man who you do NOT…"

"Negative 5, Mr. Bolton."

"Okay you know I was just kidding about that twenty points and everything. But I had negative 5 yesterday. You just gave me a merit…the math in my head is saying I have a negative 4. Dr. Sloane…stick to being a tight ass, math isn't your forte."

"And now that's a negative 6. That's two demerits in a row for your entire group. Be careful Mr. Bolton."

"Only Bolton would get a positive and not only cancel it out with a demerit but get _behind _with_ another_ one!"

"Ms. McKessie, counting the 2 demerits Mr. Bolton earned your group, and the one you've just given, that's Negative 4 for you. Tsk, you were so close to being in the positives with your good behavior and attitude." Taylor looked down at the table and Dr. Sloane, in triumph, turned back to Troy, "Now, Mr. Bolton. If you wouldn't mind, please, read from your notebook."

"Right. Well…" Troy started at the beginning of his notebook and flipped through the pages, glimpsing at what was written, "That's inappropriate," he turned another page, "Can't say that," another page, "The soup sucked today. Why can't Baylor be in my group to make food for us? Oh, nevermind, Sloane wouldn't approve of that 'absolute dependence'," one more page, "Shouldn't say that," and another, "My guide totally has the hots for Chad, say this when everyone's listening." A few snickers could be heard from Sharpay and Taylor, while Chad just looked at Troy in bewilderment and disbelief. Troy turned one more page and then closed the notebook, "The end," Troy smirked, "Hello, my name is Troy Bolton, and you've just listened to my notebook. Thank you and goodnight."

Dr. Sloane was not amused, "You don't have anything else to say?"

"Nope, didn't really follow the directions so…"

"Turn to the page from two days ago."

Troy paused and then asked, "What?"

"Now, Mr. Bolton."

Troy knew he couldn't afford another demerit so he did as he was told, and flipped a couple pages. "Here. The page from two days ago, don't have an orgas—"

Chad stomped on Troy's foot, before he could finish his statement, which would've cost the group a lot of negative points.

Dr. Sloane ordered once again. "Read it."

Troy had another out of character pause before he was back to himself, "Okay, well, the background story to this entry is that, you know, since we're practically Amish in this place…well I miss music and…other things."

"Read it, Mr. Bolton."

"Fine, remember though, you asked." And then, in a beautiful singing voice that did not go along with the song he was performing, Troy burst out into _Me So Horny_ by 2 Live Crew. "What do we get for ten dollars?" Troy asked in a dramatically low voice and then replied in a dramatically high voice, causing everyone, including Gabriella to laugh heartily, "Every ting you want." Low voice, "Everything?" High voice, "Every ting. Oh. Ah. Oh, sock it to me! Ah!" By now, everyone from Behaved Gabriella to Hateful Taylor were trying to hold back their strong laughter, making stifled sounds fill the room. However, all control was lost once Troy hit the chorus on a perfect beat and amazing voice, that no one due to their incessant laughter, but Dr. Sloane noticed, "I'm so horny, I-I'm so horny, I'm so horny, Me loves you long time. I'm so horny, I-I'm so horny, so horny, so-so horny, me loves you long time! So horny, so-so horny. I'm so horny." Troy was banging on the table with his hands in rhythm to the song.

"Negative 8. I suggest you read what's really written there, Mr. Bolton, or else that's five straight demerits. Even you aren't dense enough or cruel enough to put your group at risk for discovering what punishment lies behind 5 straight demerits."

The laughter in the room slowly settled and Troy looked at Dr. Sloane with a blank expression. The intensity in Dr. Sloane's eyes must have convinced Troy that she was serious. Troy solemnly looked down at his notebook, scanning over his words, looking for a way to edit what he had actually written. But, he knew if he did that he'd just get another demerit. And Dr. Sloane was wrong, he _was_ stupid enough to discover the punishment behind 5 straight demerits, he was curious, but she was right in that he wouldn't make his group endure whatever punishment it was. Well…he wouldn't make Gabriella endure it.

All eyes were on Troy, when they realized he really didn't have the lyrics to 2 Live Crew written, because truthfully, they weren't surprised at all that he did. Now, they were shocked and anticipating what was actually on the paper in front of him. Troy started, strangely hesitant, "…It's September 15th." He stopped.

"Go on Mr. Bolton, or I'll have someone else read it for you."

That seemed to persuade Troy to continue in a tedious tone,

"It's September 15th.

I see her. I see her smile. I see her joy.

It's her birthday. She holds her stuffed bear to her heart.

A message. A silent message only I understand.

The bear's there to protect her. It'll protect her, when I can't.

It'll save her when I can't. It'll love her since I can't.

It'll always be there, when I'm not.

I want to be there. I want to protect her. I want to save her. I want to love her.

How?

Is it possible?

I don't see how it is.

It's her birthday. I'm not there.

The bear's there.

I'm gone. Does she know I'm gone?

Or does the bear fill my place, more than I wish it would?

Does she miss me? Or find joy in my absence?

Is she sad? Or unknowingly relieved?

How different is it for her? Is it different at all?

So many questions.

But three things I am sure of.

It's September 15th. It's her birthday. And,

She's better off without me.

The room was silent. Absolutely still, there was no movement, and not a sound. Everyone was too mesmerized and utterly shocked at Troy to move an inch. The dullness in Gabriella's eyes vanished at seeing Troy in such a sweet, thoughtful state. Maybe he really was more than the bad guy he makes out to be?

"Thank you, Mr. Bolton." Dr. Sloane broke the quiet beauty of Troy's words. "We'll save who she is for another day."

Troy was back to looking at the painting. A distant look overtook his features, clearly not thinking of Gabriella anymore.

"Ms. Montez? Why don't you go now?"

Troy instantly looked at Dr. Sloane who was looking at Gabriella. Well, now he was thinking of Gabriella. His heart was still shredded, even more so after sharing his notebook entry. So, thinking on his feet, Troy kicked Chad's chair. Chad looked over at Troy in confusion, but Troy just kicked him again.

"Dude what is it?!"

"Mr. Danforth, is there something wrong?" Dr. Sloane's attention turned to Chad.

"Actually, Doctor," Troy started, "Chad wanted to share his story."

Chad looked at Troy incredulously.

"Very well, Mr. Danforth. Go ahead. Select anything you desire."

"Better do it or get another demerit," Troy whispered to Chad's angry face. In defeat and agreement, Chad opened his own black notebook and flipped to a page near the beginning.

"I love how quiet it is when the 6 of us are buried in our books. It's the only time when it's peaceful enough that I can think of my mom. When it's loud I just can't think of her. My mom and chaos just doesn't fit. Funny that I write that considering all the chaos I brought into her world. I don't know what she expected. I don't know how she believed in me so much. But eventually, living in such a bad place, I was going to get caught up in the bad, too." Gabriella looked at Chad with understanding written in her eyes. She knew what it was like to get caught up in bad, though she didn't have a bad neighborhood to use as an excuse. "I only stole things I could sell," Chad continued in a far-off voice, "And I did it for her. She needed the money to live and I needed her to live. But then that night," Chad stammered, "I never meant for that to happen. I didn't think things would get so out of control. Everyone misunderstood, I mean, I misunderstood. I just hope they're okay. My mom and that girl."

Although it wasn't as impacting as Troy's, Chad's words still left silence in the air, which Dr. Sloane, like before, broke. "Good, Mr. Danforth. You are back to plus 3."

Now Chad was copying Troy's distant demeanor.

Seeing the two hottest boys of the group in such a dismal state, Sharpay sighed in frustration. Where was the fun she promised herself she would have?

Dr. Sloane responded to her exclamation. "Ms. Summers? Perhaps you'd like to go next."

Sharpay turned to a page. It was amazing how border lining 5 straight demerits could make the most misbehaved behave. "I had the money, I had the dresses, I had the popularity, and I had the opportunities…but most of all, I had those expectations. I didn't want to be popular and I didn't want to be perfect." Gabriella glanced at Sharpay, "So I wasn't. First I tried drugs, but nothing gave me more of a thrill than drinking. The fun you could have! Body shots and games! People finally noticed me for me, instead of for what my brother and sister have accomplished. Not for my parent's reputation or my last name. It was finally me making a name for myself. No matter how twisted a name it may be. I just didn't realize how twisted the world around me would get. I was always looking for more fun and for more attention and I wanted to get my mom's more than anything." Gabriella nodded her head slightly, "So I did it by spiking the punch at her White Glove Society meeting. Best laughs of my life!" Sharpay smiled remembering that evening, "It got me sent here, but hey, fun people should be here. I want fun, I need fun, or else I'll be reminded of that time when I felt nothing but dread and fear."

"Good Ms. Summers. Merit, I think that brings you to a positive 2."

Sharpay avoided eye contact with anyone seeking it, and imitated Troy and Chad's behavior, contradicting her previous reasons for frustration, making Ryan roll his eyes from across from her.

Which, of course, Dr. Sloane detected in a heartbeat, "Mr. Evans. Your up."

Ryan looked down at the page his notebook was already opened to and silently cursed himself for rolling his eyes and therefore targeting himself for Sloane's next victim. "I can't stop thinking about drugs. Especially when Dr. Sloane gives us time to write in our notebooks like this. It's all I can think about. Detox is the hardest thing I've ever been through. But that's a lie, now that I look back at it. The hardest thing I've been through…I have to keep reliving everyday. Her death is what I have to relive everyday. I miss her almost as much as I miss drugs. She meant everything and now she's gone, just like my remedies are gone. If she were here she'd call me the biggest brainless idiot she'd ever meet. I am an idiot. And if I had my drugs, I could be brainless."

"Thank you Mr. Evans. That's plus 6 for you."

Ryan nodded, unable to do anything more.

"Now," Dr. Sloane continued, "Ms. Montez?"

Troy faintly heard Dr. Sloane call on Gabriella. He faintly heard Gabriella's "ok" and he faintly heard her pages turning in search of an entry that would be acceptable, but not too revealing just as every other kid in the room had done. He faintly heard all of this, but was too much in his own world of distant memories, and of present thoughts to do anything about it. It didn't matter. Even if she did talk about her suicidal behavior, he would only faintly hear it, right?

Gabriella had stopped on a page. "My entries are a bit different than everyone else's, Dr. Sloane."

"I know, Ms. Montez. Yet, if you think about it, Mr. Bolton had quite the unique entry as well. Both of your methods are every bit as therapeutic as your classmate's journal entries. Please, continue."

Gabriella started, her sweet voice filling the room, "Did you…"

"I think," Dr. Sloane interrupted, "It'd be best if you did it the way it was meant to be done, don't you think Ms. Montez?"

"I didn't know if it was allowed."

"Of course, the alternative is something I never want you to experience."

_The alternative_, Gabriella thought. _Breaking down from saying what was written, just speaking it instead of singing it would have me in tears from the first line. Because, if I sing it, the music can drown out the truth of the words, the music can drown out the depressing thoughts that would undoubtedly obscure my mind once I started. _

Gabriella allowed her eyes to scan the room, first seeing Chad's eyes focused on the table, then Troy's beautiful blues on the matching navy blue wall, Dr. Sloane staring right at her, Taylor looking bored as ever, over to her right Sharpay was staring out the window, while Ryan was looking hopefully towards the door behind Taylor. It helped that not one of them was paying attention. Drawing in a deep breath, Gabriella prepared herself to sing.

"Did you pray today," her angelic voice covered the air and immediately five heads swiveled up, around, and over to look at the beautiful girl with the beautiful voice. "As the tears fell down from my face?" The room was silent, in awe of Gabriella's singing and words, "And there's nowhere for me to escape. And I'm not sure if there's anyone to blame." She paused, taking in one quick gulp of air, "I feel so lost. The path before me just seems so dark. Is this really the only way?" Troy's eyes bore into Gabriella who's own brown orbs were unnecessarily focused on her pages in the notebook, until they slowly lifted to meet Troy's for the last line of the verse, "Isn't there anyone who can save me?"

No one spoke, as usual. It was the same uneasy silence, the silence that was guaranteed when people in rehab reveal a part of their past. It was uncomfortable like the four silences that occurred before Gabriella's, it was comfortable for them all, except for two people in the room. Troy and Gabriella seemed to be in another world. But somehow, it wasn't really another world. It was more like, they let each other into _their _worlds. The worlds that, until that moment, they had never let anyone into for reasons only they knew. But now, because Troy was gazing at Gabriella with eyes of pure amazement, of pure care and pleasure, he was letting Gabriella into his world. Troy's world that he didn't even knew existed. A world of love.

"Beautiful, Ms. Montez," praised Dr. Sloane, "Wonderful, that's plus 8. Now, for the rest of class, we are going to be working on your addictions, as different as they all are."

"Taylor didn't have to go!" Sharpay blurted. Her defiant, raged words sent Troy's eyes moving a couple inches to the left, away from Gabriella and to Sharpay. He couldn't help but smirk at Sharpay's outspoken, abrasive nature. The kind of disposition that would be so satisfying in bed…and now lust was in his eyes.

Gabriella frowned and looked down at the wood in front of her, mentally kicking herself. A moment ago she had been falling for the deep blue gaze Troy was giving her. She was forgetting everything about him. His impulsiveness that scared her because she'd never know what was constant with him, such as his feelings for her, was forgotten. His recklessness that scared her because her life would never be stable if she was with him was forgotten. His unpredictability that scared her because she needed to know what would happen next, she needed to know future plans and the general outlook of things or else face another situation like _his_, was forgotten. His arrogance that scared her because pride is what introduced her to darkness in the first place was forgotten. But they all came flooding back now. Troy was a flirt and he couldn't be trusted with anything. She hoped maybe she was wrong and he could dedicate himself to one girl, to her, but the Brianna incident convinced her otherwise. That's why she was so mad, she was mad at herself for actually believing he was different if only for a moment. His kind words, his ability to take away her pain, they were just glitches, not true and not real. She was so mad at herself for starting to fall for him. She was mad at herself for continuing to fall for him now.

Troy didn't mean to check Sharpay out, but at the same time he did it intentionally. He was sick of caring so much, he was sick of being such a pansy, and he was sick of falling in love with Gabriella freakin' Montez. He had been thinking about this all day, which is why he was acting so weird, which is why he avoided her gorgeous face when he came in. This ridiculous world of love and care was becoming more of a hassle than a fantasy for him. How his heart is shattered now, from hearing her speak those words earlier? He knew something like this would happen. And he, Troy Bolton, should not be caring so much about a girl. And a _goody, polite, rich _girl at that! Who clearly doesn't even love him back! He was becoming a pansy, and for what? One-way love? Him announcing how much he needs her and her saying she doesn't want him, no matter how much he refuses that last part? No, even as much as he wanted to continue this challenge called Gabriella Montez, this was one time he would listen to his better sense of judgment. Because if she can't admit that she needs him too, and maybe she really doesn't, then he wasn't going to kill himself over loving her. And that's what would happen. He'd love her, she'd forget him, and his…everything would die, shatter like his heart is now. Just like he always knew, get close get hurt. Apparently, the same went for her. She let someone in she hurt herself. Basically, it was over. Troy Bolton was stopping this journey to 'pansy, boy drooling over girl, boy chasing girl, boy never getting girl land' right now. He wouldn't. So he'd move on. To Sharpay Summers. With her, his pride could remain in tact. With a willing girl like Sharpay, his heart could be put together, incorrectly maybe, but better than what Gabriella would do to him if she never loved him. Break him.

Dr. Sloane cleared her throat to get Sharpay's attention that was focused on Troy. "Ms. McKessie didn't write anything worth sharing in her notebook, Ms. Summers."

Troy's ears perked at that. "What?" Troy exclaimed, "Isn't she gonna get punished for that?" Taylor, Chad, and Ryan whipped their heads towards Troy in surprise. Why on earth would he say that?

"Now that you mention it, Mr. Bolton," Dr. Sloane concluded, "I do feel she deserves a punishment for disobeying the rules."

The glare Taylor sent Troy actually made him flinch. "I'm sorry Dr. Sloane," Taylor gushed, "I'm just not ready to put what happened to me down on paper."

"That didn't have to be the option. You merely had to reflect on your life, whatever you were thinking at that time that relates to your life would have sufficed." Taylor looked away, beaten. "As for your punishment Ms. McKessie. The group does not deserve a demerit for your intentional misbehavior but you do, as Mr. Bolton pointed out, need an individual punishment." Dr. Sloane paused for a few seconds thinking and then directed towards Troy, "Mr. Bolton?"

Troy continued to meet Taylor's hard glare without expression, "What."

"Should Taylor work out in the fields in place of breakfast for punishment or should she work in the barns?"

"What?" asked Troy disbelievingly.

"What do you feel would be a more appropriate punishment for Ms. McKessie?"

Troy glanced at Taylor, searching for which punishment she would prefer to do. He wasn't cruel and maybe he didn't feel as bad as he should have for causing her this punishment, but he wasn't going to piss her off even more by choosing the one she'd absolutely hate doing. No, he'd pick one that could save his ass as much as possible from the wrath of Taylor McKessie.

"The field," decided Troy, figuring that he could always say since he endured it, surely she could. Rivalry, that's what could get Taylor going.

"Very well. Ms. McKessie, after this period is over you will be brought to the field by your guide to work through breakfast as well as when your peers from Level 1 join you as well." _Shit_, thought Troy, _I forgot that if I chose fieldwork she'd be working out there for 2 straight hours. Damn, I just screwed myself two times over. _"Good luck," Dr. Sloane continued, "And remember to thank Mr. Bolton later for balancing out your sin with a deed."

_Sloane has the English language in a giant heap of tangles in her mind. _Troy concluded._ Unless a thank you means a kick in the ass, then I sure as hell am getting one. _

* * *

_Troy's PoV:_

Our guides led Gabriella, Chad, Ryan, Sharpay, and myself to the kitchen to start making breakfast. Eggs and ham. Classic. I was making my way to mine and Gabriella's station, when Chad stopped me with a, "Hey."

I wasn't in the mood for this. "What, man?" I asked impatiently.

"Why'd you out Taylor like that?" I knew that was coming and I sighed, frustrated, while running a hand through my hair. The only trait of my dad's that I couldn't seem to stop doing.

"I didn't out her."

His eyes said it all. He was really pissed at me. "Dude."

Maybe pissing off Taylor was enough for the day, I shouldn't go for Danforth too, so I decided to rephrase. "I didn't mean to out her."

"Really?" This has got to be the most untrusting, skeptical group in Willow Hell.

"Yes." I stressed, "I didn't mean for her to get a punishment! I was honestly just curious why she wasn't getting one!"

Chad shook his head, the bitterness still laced in his voice, "So you had to ask huh?"

"I didn't exactly think before I said it."

"Typical."

Okay his attitude was pissing _me _off. "Why the hell do you care so much dude?"

Narrowing his eyes at me, he crossed his arms while faking puzzlement, "What?"

"You like her, right?"

He laughed. A laugh that was too rough for a guy that was telling the truth, "Hell no, man. I don't even know her." He quickly glanced to the left and then back at me, "She's cute though."

This time I shook my head, "Maybe it's better if you fall in love with someone before you know them." If Gabriella would just do that.

"Fall in love?" Oh shit, I said that out loud, didn't I?

"Or…like."

Chad looked at me, confused but intrigued. "I don't know. I mean sure, I've gotten crushes on girls I don't know, but…fall in love?" He held back a laugh, clearly seeing more to this than what I wish he would.

"I said or like!"

"Why do you think that man?" He held back more laughs.

"I don't all right?" Fuck off. He smirked at me. His eyes screamed the laughter that his mouth was barely holding back. "Danforth quit looking at me like that, before I knock that look off your face with my fist!"

"Damn, Bolton. All right." He let a small laugh go, "Yeesh, you can't blame me for being curious. _You_ were curious after all." And we're back to Noisy girl Taylor.

"Yeah well Mouth deserved it."

"You could at least feel sorry."

"I didn't do anything!"

He shook his head, obviously annoyed at me, "Now I know why I work at a station with Summers."

I shrugged, "Cause she's hot."

"Cause you're a bastard dude."

He's lucky he paired that bastard with dude or else I'd be throwing punches. "Are you really saying that to me?"

"Just…" Chad noticed what he was getting himself into and backed out, "Apologize to Taylor when she gets back, alright?"

"I have nothing to apologize for!"

He shook his head again and settled his eyes on Montez a few yards away working at our station. I looked over there too, using any excuse I could get to stare at her. "I don't understand how Montez stands next to you everyday."

"What?" Damn, he was A.D.D.

"I mean I guess, since…" he paused to think, "Have the two of you ever talked?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, not understanding why he would care or why he should know, "Why?"

"Cause if you haven't that makes perfect sense. The way she just works next to you in silence explains it all. She deals with you by not talking to you." A slight smile was on his face, I mean, this was Chad after all. But I could still see the trace of anger he held because of my attitude towards McKessie.

"Dude, fuck off."

"I'm serious man." I had turned to look at Gabriella again, but was drawn back to Danforth as I sensed he actually was serious, "You're just like every guy I knew back home."

I was so fucking tired of hearing that! "And what?! You're not like them? You're not like me!?"

"No." I was not expecting that.

Why did every single person here think I was 10x worse than they were?! They're here too! Hell, Chad stole things! He's just like me! Jesus Christ, I'm not this demon everyone makes me out to be!...Am I? "I fucking saved her ass a week ago!" I bitched, referring to Gabriella, probably saying it more to convince myself, not Chad, that I was something better.

"Probably to get a piece of her ass though, right?"

I narrowed my eyes further and he took that as a forfeit. "Yeah…well, you should head to your station."

These people really knew how to piss me off! "Since when did you become Montez? Telling me that you know the kind of guy I am, acting like you know me, and telling me what I should and shouldn't do? Man, I thought you'd be my savior in this shit hole." I recalled that first day in the waiting room, "But looks like they've tightened up your ass too. And in just 10 days!"

"They didn't do anything to me." He was too calm. He was really starting to remind me of Montez. Good thing I didn't have a thing for Afros.

"Yeah, just like I'm actually gonna get to twenty points." I replied sarcastically.

"Listen man, after that session, I was reminded of my mom. Whenever that happens I become a…"

"Manners Montez."

"Dude." The same reprimanding tone of voice.

"I get it, you feel bad about what you do cause it shames your mom or whatever."

He widened his eyes at me, surprised, "That's exactly how I feel. How'd you--"

"Cause when I do bad things I feel like it shames my mom and my dad too." I smirked, "That's why I do 'em."

"Wow."

"Well," I turned and starting walking towards my station with Montez, "It's not the only reason."

Okay, so recap. I was done chasing after Montez. I was done professing my idiotic feelings for her and how amazing it is to be around her. Of course, I'm not a complete dumb ass. I'll still talk to her and be around her just to feel alive, just to have those amazing emotions course through me. But I won't be a pansy anymore. I'll be back to my old self. Strange, I'll actually have to think before I talk now. In the bathroom, in the field, in the hall…everything I said, everything caring and pissy I said just came out like every other time I talked. I didn't think before I said anything, they just came out. But now when I'm around Montez I'll have to make sure I don't say those things. And instead say things that I'd say to anyone else. Uncaring, shitty things that make me an ass.

"Hey, Sunshine." I started as I approached her, my voice reeking with mockery, "Weren't you adorable today with your little song and whatnot."

Her eyes darkened, and instead of the pleasure I usually got from my victims' reactions I was upset that I made her upset. "Thanks, Jack. I liked that poem of yours too."

I momentarily ignored the part about the poem. "Jack?"

She was cutting the ham and didn't look at me as she explained. "Short for jack ass."

I would've smirked but decided to address her comment about my _poem_ instead. "It wasn't a poem."

"No?"

"No. I don't write poems."

She scooped the chopped ham into her hands and plopped them down in front of me. I guess she was trying to tell me to do something. Yeah right. Seems like she really doesn't know me after all.

"Sounded like one," she persisted.

"Well, it wasn't alright?"

"What was it then?" I was staring at her but she wouldn't even glance at me. Just like every other day. But today was supposed to be different.

"Just…" I racked me brain for anything but came up with, "Nothing."

"You don't hold your case very well."

"Pass the eggs, Noisy Girl."

She did. "You never told me you were into poetry." If she was fixed on making this point then I was fixed on ignoring it.

"You good at cracking these things?" I asked, while observing the egg in my hand, moving it around.

"It was beautiful," she meant it, "Who is it talking about?"

"Cause if I crack `em," I lightly tossed it into the air and caught it, "We'll be serving scrambled egg shells for breakfast."

"To think…" she pondered, "A bad boy who likes poetry actually exists."

"Alright…" I had two eggs in each hand now, "I'm just gonna go ahead and crack `em."

She glanced at my position, 2 eggs in each hand, each hovering over the edge of the pan. She tried not to laugh, "Troy…"

"Gabriella…"

She finally looked at me, lifting her head seeing as she was some inches shorter than me, "Poetry?"

"It's not fucking poetry."

She shook her head a lot like Chad before. "You lost this fight Troy."

"It's just…" Again I racked my brain for anything and came up short, "They're just my thoughts. I just write it down. No big shit."

"Well, I liked it. A lot." Hell, when she complimented me it was hard to be an ass.

"What about that song, Two-shoes? That was pretty…" I planned to say lame ass but I couldn't and instead said the truth, "Deep."

"Just my feelings. No big deal."

I laughed at that, "Your feelings seem like a big deal." She looked away and took an egg from my left hand, cracking it perfectly into the sizzling pan. I kept talking, "They're what's keeping you from me and attracting you to me at the same time, right?" Damn it Bolton! Stick to the fucking plan!

She took the second egg from my left hand and performed the same perfect motions to it as the first one. I could think of a lot more pleasurable things those perfect hands could be doing. Eggs were not involved. "My head is keeping me from you," She said confidently while grabbing another egg from my right hand, "My common sense and good judgment is what's keeping me from you, Bolton." She cracked the egg.

"Chad thinks we've never had a real conversation."

She grabbed the last egg, looking at me confused as she did, "So?"

"It's just ironic, don't you think? Because really, we've had conversations that I've never had before…in my life."

She sighed, "Yeah," she agreed, "But being friends…"

"Bad idea. I know. Not saying we should be. I lost that fight, too."

She watched me for a few seconds before handing me the spatula. "You think you can scramble them ok?"

I shrugged, taking the spatula from her, "Sure. Doesn't take much thought right? You just do it?"

"Yeah, as long as they're fine in the end."

* * *

**So if you didn't read my a/n at the top, the song Gabriella sings from her notebook is called Everyone Needs by Jennifer Chung on youtube. Check her out, her original pieces are absolutely beautiful. JenniferJChung is her account.**

**Review Review Review**


	10. Can't Stop

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. i do not own the _Broken Wing _series either.

**Title**: Foolin' the World

**A/N: **please, please review =) it always makes my day to see that people are enjoying my story, so please make my day =) hope you like this chapter! the next one, after this, will be very intense and hopefully pleasing.

Can't Stop

_Troy's PoV:_

"Hey Baylor." I said to Zeke as I entered the room, throwing myself onto Spade's obnoxiously tidy bed. I had to admit, I was in a good mood today. Despite the confession, diary revealing shit in therapy and all those hours in school…I was feeling good.

"Hey, Troy, Chad." Zeke nodded at us lounging on his bed, "What's up, guys?"

"Troy," Chad laughed from the table, "had to stand in the corner today in class." I rolled my eyes. Correction. Despite being around Chad all day every day, I was feeling good.

Zeke joined in the laughter. "Again?" Chad nodded relentlessly instigating more laughter between the two. They laugh too much. I thought.

Uncaringly, I shrugged, while running my shoes up and down Spade's clean sheets, "I don't know the answers." I glanced down, checking on my work. Kinda dirty, not nearly satisfying enough. I put my shoes back down and starting moving my feet up and down again.

"Actually," Chad laughed on, "The hysterical thing is, he totally does." What the hell?

Ever since I was released from the corner of idiocy, Chad has been on my case for knowing these answers when I so clearly don't. I mean, if he's been sneaking some of the good stuff into the room, where's his group loyalty, his group compassion, his group care? I want some booze too, damn it!

"Danforth are you hard of hearing? Is that Afro becoming a bit too big for your ears to handle?" I began wiping my shoes on Spade's bed harder, "I've been telling you for the past 15 minutes that I don't fucking know the answers to the questions!"

Unsurprisingly Chad ignored me and stood from the chair. "Troy Bolton." He announced dramatically and then jumped right into humming the jeopardy theme song, "What is…liar? DING DING DING DING! Correct! Ladies and gentleman, Chad Danforth wins the million dollar prize money!" He leapt from his seat and practically flew towards me, flinging himself onto the bed I was on, and began hopping up and down over me. It was a habit of his, as a roommate, your forced to grow accustomed to.

"You're insane, Chad." I spat out between my harsh laughter. The Crazy Chad smile was just impossible not to laugh at.

"Good thing," he bent his knees and jumped off the bed, landing a good few feet away from me, thank god, "I'm in a rehab center then, huh?"

I shook my head, holding back my smile. Sometimes the best way to respond to Chad is to completely ignore him. "So, Baylor. Sloaner said you and Cross were at it again."

"Oh…yeah." Zeke looked around the room nervously.

I narrowed my eyes intrigued for once. I've never really been interested enough to ask Baylor what the deal was between him and Cross. To be honest, I'm pretty embarrassed to be intrigued by that now. Life must seriously be getting boring if drama between two dudes in a rehab center is the only thing left to keep me awake.

"Yeah!" Chad exclaimed, truly interested, "What's with you two? You're always at each other's throats."

"We just…don't see eye to eye." More nervousness, "We don't view things in the same way." I scoffed at his apprehension and answer. If that wasn't the most vague, sweet-assed way of describing a feud then I'd have to be living in candy land to hear it.

"If by that you mean you just wanna knock the guy's face in for being a mother fucker," Oh how I loved that springy haired boy, "Then I'd have to say…story of my life." Chad replied nonchalantly.

I finished my masterpiece, 'Dirt a la Spade's Bed,' and sat up pointing towards Chad, "Second that."

Zeke was about to say something else to us when the door to our room opened, revealing an annoying, anger-invoking voice. "Boys, we have to go to dinner."

How well I knew that voice. How badly I wanted to squeeze the throat that created that voice. "Shut it Spade!" I ordered. He tried glaring at me for my language, but it looked more like a drooling baby squinting its eyes from the intensity of the sun. Immediately I laughed at his stupidity and, thankfully, he clapped his hands in that 'chop chop' kind of way and left the room.

Grudgingly, I got up from shit brain's bed and did a once over of my beautiful piece. Some field crap here, some barn dirt there, and even some eggs from breakfast. How they were on the bottom of my shoe baffles me, but hey, take the good when it comes right? So crap, dirt, egg… perfect. I walked over to the door, trailing behind Baylor and Danforth who were a foot ahead of me. I was about to tap Chad on his shoulder when he turned around lifting an eyebrow, "Garbage disposal?" He questioned, referring to Spade.

I smirked. "Bull dozer."

Chad smiled his Crazy Chad smile obviously pleased with my suggestion. "I'll drive."

I clapped Danforth on the shoulder. "I'll strap him down."

* * *

I didn't understand this routine. Everyday was fucking the same. Chores that killed your body and shredded your insides. Cleaning pigs shit and cow manure at the ranch. Piling stacks and stacks of hay outside the barns. Busting our backs and every bone that makes up our skeleton by slaving away out on the fields. And then school, one of our buddies, not even old enough to be out of college, pretending to know things by lecturing us for hours on end. Damn, we feed them like dogs, you think they'd be nice like dogs. And then of course there was mandatory, seat assigned dinner. Meeting new people, making small talk as if we weren't living in the shittiest place possible, hearing these idiots talk about the rules…I was gonna vomit on the spot.

Or faint on the spot.

As luck may have it, seems Sloane figured today would be a good one to have Miss Montez seated at the same table as me. Joy. To. The. World. Might as well put my plan to action. I concluded as I came up to the table and the seat with my nametag on it. "Hey, ladies." I greeted Montez, or rather Montez's back, and the redhead across from her.

"Troy!" the redhead across from my designated seat screeched, "I'm so glad you're at our table today!"

I smirked while glancing at Gabriella analyzing her reaction to this. I don't even know what I was searching for. Jealousy? Annoyance? Indifference? "Yeah well," I kept my eyes on Gabriella who's own majestic coffee orbs were on her nametag as she folded and unfolded the edges delicately, "I guess it's your lucky day. Yours too Montez."

She barely blinked as she tilted her head to the left and settled her eyes on me coolly. I got flashbacks from our first day here. "Oh yes. That penny I found earlier today is really working its magic."

"Well, now you see why I call you Sunshine, Sunshine. You're just so pleasant all the god damn time."

"Aw." She replied sarcastically, "Well I just can't help but be a ray of sunshine when I'm around you, Jack."

I frowned down at her but I'm sure my eyes sparkled, or whatever the chicks say, from amusement, "You want an explanation for Two-shoes?"

"I think I get it."

"Um," A perky, upbeat voice interrupted my reply, "Troy do you know her?"

I looked over at Redhead, "She's in my group."

"Oh…" Redhead seemed to mull this over for some time and then finally a smile sneaked its way onto her face, "Okay."

There it was again. Just like with Brittany in the bathroom. Why were these psychos happy about Montez being in a group with me? I mean besides the fact that they're psychos. They're still human and they still get jealous. And if any trace of jealousy surfaced then I'd spot it in an instant. But nothing. Just pure pleasure.

"C'mon Troy!" pursued Redhead, "you're sitting next to me!"

"God," Tom Something from Redhead's left complained. "Shut up Casey!" Redhead looked at him appalled. Tom Something was a Gay Spade, according to how me and Chad nicknamed people who were rule freaks. So I guess Tom Something saying shut up was a shock to Redhead, his group member.

"Bolton!" A shout, Danforth's shout, reached my ears from down the cafeteria, "Come here!" He was waving his arms wildly, not caring that the whole army of babysitters were eyeing everyone like hawks. Good. That's what life here should be. Uncaring and thoughtless.

The animated sound of Redhead pulled my attention back to my table. "What!?" She asked Tom Something rudely. The way I most enjoyed it since things usually get more entertaining that way.

"You're kidding, right?" Tom Something responded incredulously, subtly mocking Redhead's stupidity. "You've had what? One dinner with Bolton? Suck in the drool."

"You're just jealous of him." She scowled. Maybe I was pissed from my sore body, or maybe all these typical high school drama fights were taking their toll on me. Nonetheless I started clenching my fists in annoyance.

"Bolton!!!" Danforth yelled again, only adding to my irritation.

"Jealous?!" I faintly heard Tom Something say, "He's a jerk! No offense man."

"Yo! Bolton!" Chad persisted, "Get over here for a second!"

Closing my eyes as tight as I could, as if doing this could erase all my problems, I looked around my shoulder to Chad a few tables down and yelled back. "Alright! Don't make me slap you upside the head! I'm coming!!!" For a moment Chad just stared at me, debating whether or not to insult me for my threat. But after awhile he just nodded and sat in his seat, waiting for me.

I could still hear Tom Something and Redhead bickering and as I glanced back at them and their red faces all I could think of was Sharpay and Evans. I rolled my eyes, how many Sharpay and Ryan duos were in this place? A mild groan knocked me from my thoughts and I was drawn to Gabriella's thin frame, as if silence doesn't already create a force for me to stare at her. Her head was in her hands, clearly just as frustrated with the old married couple as I was. I smirked, though she couldn't see. "I'll come back," She lifted her head to look at me, somehow knowing I was addressing her, "And save you from this madness, Sunshine."

I walked away, not before seeing the laughter in her eyes only enhancing their beauty to that of sunset level, no actually stars, no…just Gabriella Montez level. She had a level of her own. Ah, damn it. When was I going to stop being such a sap around that goddess? When was I going to initiate the plan!?

"Bolton!" Chad graciously interrupted my self-reprimanding thoughts as I neared his table.

"What!?" I asked impatiently, needing to get back to Gabriella to act indifferently towards her, if only to prove myself I could. That she didn't own me and even my thoughts. That I wasn't turning into a lovesick fuckin' puppy, basically chasing his tail since it seemed Gabriella would never accept me.

"What's," I instantly paid attention to Chad's words, wanting to get this over with as fast as possible, "going on over there?" he asked.

I ignored the force telling me to actually slap him upside the head for sidetracking. "You know, the usual."

"Usual as in…"

"Fighting about me." I told him abruptly, "Now what'd you want?"

"And you're fueling the fire, am I right?" he Crazy Chad smiled.

I sighed, letting out my anger. If Chad could calm me with his Crazy Chad smile I seriously was getting soft. "Not today."

The confusion emitted from Chad like gas from a car. He knew I loved 'fueling fires.' Everyone in our group, if they knew anything about me from these past 10 days, knew that. But then the confusion was extinguished from Chad like a candlelight being blown away. "Ah." He said. He was looking past me, at my table.

"What?" I asked, "What 'ah?'"

"Montez." He stated.

I played dumb. "Montez…?"

"Don't jump her and do her at dinner." He smiled cheekily, "That's my only advice."

I rolled my eyes. I wonder how long I could keep rolling my eyes before they finally stayed that way permanently. "Your confidence in my control is charming, Danforth." He merely shrugged. Another eye roll. If my eyes do freeze, I'm making everyone in this place pay my hospital bill. "Why'd you call me over?"

Chad hooked his thumb down the long rectangle table and my eyes settled on a couple of blonde guys a year or so older than us. "They're having a basketball game after dinner." informed Chad, "It's their free time. You wanna crash with me?"

I raised my eyebrows impressed and oh so damn grateful. "Hell yeah!" I could hug this springy haired boy, "Good work, man!" The smile on my face was ear to ear as we did our handshake.

A basketball game! I thought excitedly as I walked back to Montez and Old Married. A basketball game! A nice, bloodless way to kick some ass!!!

"You seem cheery."

I looked at Gabriella, still smiling slightly. "Cheery." I paused, pretending to think, "Not a word I normally hear to describe myself."

"I agree." She smiled maybe at what I said or maybe because of my own smile, "So why are you so cheery?"

"Chad said something I liked."

"What?" She giggled and my heart pounded so hard I swear a guide would come over and strike me with the club for impolite beating, "Did he profess his love to you or something?"

I held back a laugh. "That obvious? I mean I could feel I was flushed, who wouldn't be if the man you love just said they love you back." I picked up a spoon and examined my face from the reflection, "Maybe I should splash some water on my face…or my dic- "

"But really, Troy." I knew she'd interrupt my 'inappropriate remark' "If you're planning something stupid then stop-"

"Quit worrying, Mom." I interrupted back, "Everything'll be fine. Better than fine actually."

"See, now I'm worried. You're going to get our group in trouble."

"Nah."

She grimaced at my three-letter word, "I'm going to talk to Chad. He won't do it if I talk to him."

I faltered at her words. If I was still staring at my face in the spoon I would've noticed my smile twitch a bit, a clear sign of jealousy. "You two ever talk before?"

"We've had dinner twice together."

I thought about this. About Chad's Crazy smile and about Gabriella's probable sweet tooth for sweet guys, of course they hit it off. "And you bonded." I said to Gabriella.

"Not at all." She shocked me and I raised an eyebrow at her. "But he'll listen."

I looked away, trying not to roll my eyes, "Lay off, Montez. We won't get in trouble."

"Past events make me think otherwise."

"You always talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like…" I turned to look at her again. She was still staring directly at me, "Smart?"

"I can dumb it down for you, if you want." She pointed to me with her index finger, "You Troy. You trouble."

See. With all my determination focused on being indifferent towards her and then her comment just now, they made me spit my next words out. "Does a death wish make you talk to me that way?"

Immediately she winced, as did I, and she shifted her eyes away from me while mine remained on her.

See. With all the hurt I felt from hurting her, something I didn't know would be so utterly painful for me maybe even more painful than her pain, I just spat out an apology. A clear, genuine, "I'm sorry." I've never exactly apologized for something and meant it. This girl did things to me.

"Please." She wasn't looking at me anymore. "Don't do anything to get our group in trouble."

"You'll be fine, Madre." Spanish lifts moods right? "If I have to I'll just pull you out of shit like before."

"Even if you can, you and Chad will be…"

"Even better off than the rest of you, stuck in your rooms bored shitless. Besides, I'm sure with the power of Chad's and my love shining through, not even Sloane and her drones can get to us."

I still wasn't able to see the brown depths of Gabriella's eyes, completely understandable, but I did see, from the side view I had, her left eye crinkle from a silent laugh. "Oh?" She asked jokingly.

"Oh yeah." I nodded to emphasize my point and she turned her head to the left some inches to steal a glance at me, "That's the power of true fuckin' love, baby." Gabriella set her head back to its previous position, hidden away, but I could still see a fleeting glance of the true smile settled on her perfect features. It brought a smile to my face…it brought a smile to my face.

"Bolton," Tom Something killed my joy, "If you swear again I'll have to tell my guide."

"Shut up!" Redhead argued.

I hated that. No Redhead should have to defend me. "Quiet Do-Right." I said to Tom Something, "I'll be a perfect little angel from here on out, all right? Saint Troy, I promise."

"Way to go." Deadpanned Redhead.

"You have a problem Casey?" Tom Something continued the fight.

"Yeah you created _Saint _Troy."

To my right a quiet noise caught my attention. Gabriella was holding back a laugh by putting her fork, with chicken on the end, to her mouth.

"You finished?" I asked while swiftly snatching her fork and quickly biting the chicken, chewing for longer than I wished. It was pretty much just chicken flavored rubber.

Gabriella's open mouth, that was ready to eat, quickly turned to me in astonishment and fake, from what I could see, anger. "Troy!"

"It's cool, Montez." I appeased with a full mouth, "This is terrible." I swallowed the rubber, "I just saved you."

She rolled her eyes and I refrained myself from telling her she better be careful or her eyes might freeze like that. "Shut up." She mumbled, smiling slightly.

"Woo wee! Manners Montez! Don't make me report you, missy."

She pushed her plate of rubber towards me, still smiling. "Here. Eat your food and shut up."

I smiled back. "Yes ma'am."

* * *

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	11. Stuck To You

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. i do not own the _Broken Wing_ series either.

**Title**: Foolin' the World

**A/N: **Please review =) I'm begging! It definitely makes me update faster when I hear that people are reading my story! So please let me know what you think! Or just say hey =) Review, please, please, please.

Stuck To You

_Gabriella's PoV:_

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce.

I heard the sound of shoes squeaking and a ball hitting the floor repeatedly. A sound I knew so well. But basketball? Yeah, I guess Troy seemed like a basketball guy. The street, dirty, betting kind of basketball that is.

Slowly, wondering if I should turn around with every step, I approached a door I assumed led to Willow Oak's gym. The doors, that made a double door, were large and wooden, the same as every other in this grand building. It still perplexed me how something could look so impressive from the outside, with its 4-story glory, majestic dark windows, and brick foundation, yet meanwhile the interior was rotting, growingly damaged.

Like me?

I hesitantly put my hand on the long handle, doing another once over in my mind about the pros and cons of what I was about to do. All signs pointed to go in. I turned the handle. The moment I opened the door, an aged basketball, barely orange in color now, rolled over to me with none other than Troy Bolton jogging over to retrieve it.

He hadn't seen me yet, as he neared the ball, about ready to pick it up. "Bolton!" I looked past Troy to see an older blonde guy, sweat dripping from his forehead, resting his hands on his knees taking in deep breaths. A few feet over was another blonde, drinking heartily from a bottle of water, while behind him was Chad, stretching his legs. "Bolton!" The first blonde shouted again, "Two out of three! C'mon!"

I wondered who lost, but my question was instantly answered when I glanced at Troy. Just a few traces of sweat proving that he played at all. He was bending down to grasp the basketball. A cocky smile was plastered on his gorgeous face and he parted his lips to speak.

"You really up for losing again, man? I mean-" I stepped on the ball, something I knew would make Troy look up. Instantly surprise and disbelief erupted on his face. I had images of little children being told Santa Claus wasn't real. Troy's surprise was like that of a little kid's toy dreams being crushed.

"Hi, Bolton." I deadpanned to his stunned features.

Finally he found the breath to allow him to speak. "What are you doing here?" His voice was surprisingly not as surprised as his face. In fact, his voice was perfectly calm. A forced calm.

"You think I'd let you get us in trouble again?"

I released the ball from my foot's enclosure and Troy took it in two hands while standing straight up again. "Maybe?" His calm voice sounded.

"Well, I guess even Saint Troy is wrong sometimes. 'Cause here I am."

"Here you are."

He was just staring at me. The surprise had long abandoned his face and he was speaking so calmly. Just looking at me with no emotion. He reminded me…of me. It threw me for a couple seconds. "Grab Chad," I said after shaking my head and trying my best to clear some of my thoughts, "And let's go."

"No way, Two-Shoes," Classic Troy returned, "We're dominating out there."

"This isn't up to you."

"My actions, my choice." He smiled mockingly at me, so different from the sweet smile he showed at dinner. That smile, it made my heart stop beating. Didn't make it skip a beat, or beat harder, it just stopped. It was like my heart couldn't handle his smile and just ran from it. When he smiled that way, even my head was telling me I liked him. More than liked him. When I saw his lips spread into that genuine, magnificent curve I felt my entire being come to realization, but moreover, acceptance that yes, I could really love Troy Bolton. And now? This mocking, seemingly uncaring smirk? Even now, I still knew. I still knew I could love him if I just allowed myself to. I was falling in love with everything Troy hid and everything he so openly was. I was falling in love and like I said in the bathroom, I couldn't stop it. But I could stop from acting on that love.

"Not," I started, distancing myself as much as possible from my feelings for him, "When other people are involved." Troy merely laughed his harsh laugh. It was so remote that I got a sense that he was trying to distance himself as well. "Jesus," I continued, angered but maybe more upset at the thought of him ignoring his feelings for me, "Can you think about someone else besides yourself for once?"

At this, he paused. "Oh, believe me I do." He lifted his eyebrows at me, while smirking. His eyes lowering from the lock they were in with mine and instead rested on my breasts and continued toward my hips.

I balled my hands into fists. My desire to slap him was overpowering, but I knew I'd never let myself slip in control like that. "Knock it off, you pig."

The smirk, practically stapled onto his face remained there, but his eyes, thankfully, raised to meet mine again. "Yeah, well, oink, oink." He said monotone.

I rolled my eyes and afterwards, when I peered into his blues I saw laughter written in the navy specks. I was curious as to what he was silently laughing at but figured it was Troy. He found a lot of things amusing that a lot of other people didn't even notice. "Bolton." I said to tell him I wasn't amused with his sense of humor, the oink and the internal laughs, when I was attempting to be serious.

"You can always leave." He told me.

"And get in trouble tomorrow because you're being a jerk? No."

"Shut up. Don't care so fuckin' much, God."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Why was he so selfish? He was getting the entire group in trouble because he wanted to play a game of basketball? He could play all the basketball he wanted if he just followed the rules and got to Level 4. Or even Level 3 during his free time. Why did he have to do this? "Why do you do these things?"

"To piss you off." He smiled, his eyes sparkling with jokes. Strangely his response didn't make me angrier like it normally would, but instead it calmed me…just a bit.

"Did I mention how charming you are?" I joked back.

"Multiple times."

"Let's GO Bolton!" The second blonde whined. The blondes, I saw, had recovered from their obvious loss and were standing, waiting for Troy and evidently the basketball. Chad had a huge smile on his face. The whites of his teeth were so clear and open, telling me there was something more to this smile than just the after effect of winning. Not to mention he was looking at Troy and me as if we were dressed head to toe in neon orange and pink.

"Troy," I tried again, "Please come with me."

"Bolton!" the first blonde's voice filled the shoddy gym. "Yo! Let's go!"

Troy looked at me for a while longer. I was oblivious to any emotion swimming in his blue pools. Oblivious and Troy were two words that went together like peanut butter and jelly. If you're interacting with Troy, you're usually oblivious to what's going on with him. His rarely present feelings, his surprisingly, poetic level deep thoughts, and most importantly, his actions. You were oblivious to what he was about to do next.

"Yeah," his smooth voice ruined my thoughts, "Coming!" His eyes never broke contact with mine. Not even as I reached my hand out and grabbed his arm when he turned to go. My mouth hung open stupidly, as I was going to say something but immediately forgot as an instant spark formulated between my hand and his arm. The spark traveled throughout my entire body, electrifying my nerves, sending tingles and shockwaves from my head to my toes. My arm got goose bumps just from the feel of his skin under my fingers. My heart was jumpstarted, and I realized even if my heart stopped from that marvelous, sweet smile of his, it would just be bolted back to life from his touch.

My eyes had responsively left his as my body felt pure bliss, pure unknown, and I took half a second to resettle my chocolates on his oceans. He was looking at me peculiarly. The only things I could detect from his façade being astonishment, intrigue, and was that…enjoyment? Did he feel it too?

"OO BABAY BABAY!"

I jumped. Startled by the loud shriek that interrupted the daze I was in with Troy. He was in the daze too, I could tell, because he jumped along with me when Chad shouted. A slight jump, but enough to make him abruptly pull his arm away from my grasp.

"Troy," I persisted, now able to think somewhat clearly, "Please." My heart fell as he turned to go, looking at me for one last long time. See. I wasn't fully recovered from the electricity that surged within me and I was scared at the prospect of punishment, of not knowing what that punishment could be. So I acted on impulse. Something I promised I'd never do again. "Fine." My voice resounded determined, causing Troy to turn around and gaze at me, "Then you and me."

"You and me what?" He quirked an eyebrow, "You and me make out? Why not," he answered himself right away, "You and me fuck? Hell yes. You and me are done talking? I have some asses waiting to be kicked so yeah, we are."

"You and me play basketball. One on one."

He had turned to go once again but my words brought him back to me. I was reminded of the bathroom and how he wouldn't let me leave. Only now, I wanted him to leave with me. "You're kidding." He laughed.

"I win, you and Chad come back before anyone notices."

He fully confronted me now, his face serious. It looked like he was debating with himself over something, but finally he seemed to reach a resolve. He must have found something that would benefit him in this bet. "And when I win you let me show you how to have fun."

See. Once I do something impulsive, that feeling stays with me for a while. Like I said, when I feel things I feel strongly. So, that's why I agreed instantly to his terms, the consequences of losing never crossing my mind as I concluded our deal with a simple, "Done."

* * *

_Gabriell'a PoV: In her room:_

"Hey Gabriella. Can you help me with this?"

"Sharpay, why don't you actually read the material? That way you might know the answers, believe it or not."

"Yeesh. What's up with you?"

"Yeah, Ella, you've been behaving like me since you got back here."

"Where'd you go anyways?"

"You're lucky I'm not turning you in."

I could barely hear my roommates. All that I could think about was the game between Troy and me. The surprise and fascination that engulfed his face when he saw I could actually catch a ball without breaking a nail. The frustration and more surprise when I got ahead by 4 points. And then the satisfaction and pride that overpowered everything else when he won by a great 8 points. To say the least I was very annoyed. Annoyed at myself for even making that bet, annoyed at Troy for being better than me, annoyed at myself again for losing, and annoyed at Troy and Chad for risking our group for their entertainment.

I was so annoyed.

"_Well," Troy panted, a large smile plastered on his face, "Lisa Leslie, looks like you can't compete with a former future Lakers star huh." _

_The moment Troy scored the last basket that signified his win, I sat down on the barely finished floor, disappointed and…annoyed. "Former future Lakers star?" I asked._

"_Need rephrasing on that?"_

"_No, I get it." I did get it. He either didn't want to be a Lakers star anymore…or he didn't think he could be one._

"_So, where the hell'd you learn to play ball like that?" He asked, changing the topic. Now he was standing in front of me, looking down at my thwarted face expectantly._

"_Holy hell!" Chad rushed over before I could answer, "Dude! Gabriella, that was off the hook!!!!! You tore this place up!"_

_I smiled, "I'm sure you could beat me, Chad."_

"_I'm actually not so sure about that." He joked, though I knew for a fact I was hardly good enough to beat him. Another reason why this bet was so idiotic. I don't know what I was thinking._

"_It's pretty obvious you could kick Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum's asses over there." Troy told me. The blondes were oblivious to this as they were just gawking at me awkwardly from across the floor. "So where'd you learn to play like that?"_

_I glanced up at Troy, since he was standing tall compared to my sitting frame. "My best friend…used to play all the time. He, um, forced me to play instead of practice for dance. He thought I worked myself too hard and deserved some fun." I recalled in a somewhat distant voice. I could feel myself wanting to roll my eyes just at the thought of my old friend and his ridiculous worries about my dedication to dance and singing._

_Troy scrunched his eyebrows. He was just the slightest bit confused from what I could tell. I didn't have to rethink what I said, since I always think so hard before I talk, a vital habit if I were to keep my control. I wondered what he was confused about. There was nothing confusing about what I said, was there?_

_Chad broke mine and I assumed Troy's thoughts, "Well you're friend must have been a good player. Did he play for your school?"_

"_No." I said again with no inflection in my voice, "My school didn't have sports teams, since it was a private school based on the arts. My…friend, he um, always felt out of place there. His parents were the only reason he was there at all." _

_Troy's confusion intensified at my next statement. I was getting confused by his confusion. "What," he started and I looked up hopefully. Maybe he was going to ask a question that would give me answers to his confusion, "was your friend's name?" He finished and I looked away disappointed and actually even more confused._

"_Um," Talking about my best friend was always a sore subject ever since…"Conner Lewis."_

_If I had any hope that my answer to his irrelevant question would ease his confusion as well as mine, it was abolished in a second. His eyes seeped with deep thought, and finally he asked me the question that explained everything. "Something happened with this guy, right?"_

_I swear my eyes became the size of the moon. How could Troy read me so easily!? No wonder he was so deep in thought, not exactly confused like I had thought, just thinking. He could tell, from the first word I spoke related to Conner, that I was uneasy talking about him. And he was a bit puzzled why, and was thinking hard about the possibilities. I couldn't believe him. I couldn't believe this unreal power he had to see right through me. I couldn't believe he had any power that could do anything to me at all. _

_I just couldn't believe him._

_I wasn't surprised when Troy spoke again, sensing that I wasn't going to answer his question anytime soon. "C'mon guys, let's keep playing!" He said loud enough for the blondes to hear. _

_I looked away from his gaze that didn't falter when he addressed Chad and the others. Slowly, absentmindedly, I got to my feet, Troy watching me the entire time, as I walked out of the gym not realizing anything about my surroundings. Only Chad's parting, "See you tomorrow, Gabs!" telling me that I was even moving at all._

"I bet she went with her guide to do some extra schoolwork." Sharpay's mocking voice yanked me from my thoughts.

"No way. The smart people get actual teachers."

"Seriously? Wow, I can't believe we get stuck with _buddies_ and they get actual teachers."

"Yeah but think about it. Would you want actual teachers?"

"Compared to the people who hit me with a stick and call me names and tell me I'm worthless everyday?" Sharpay considered sarcastically, "Yeah maybe."

Brianna merely looked away, refusing to accept Sharpay's true words, "Anyways, I think she went to do more chores for extra merit points."

"If you're talking about me," I said, "then you're wrong."

"So, then where'd you go for almost an hour?"

I didn't answer Sharpays's question for a number of reasons. Mainly, I couldn't believe where I went for almost an hour myself. "See?" Brianna sneered, "She totally went to the guides to suck up and get points."

"And if I did?" I snapped back, "Would that be so bad? I'm trying to get out of here. Sounds like something we should all be doing."

"Why would you feel that way," Sharpay responded while narrowing her eyes at me, "Didn't you send yourself here?"

My answer was quick and concise. "I was hurting everyone I love and myself. So yes, I came here by my own accord."

"That's stupid."

"I really don't need to know what you think about this."

"I read the back of my book," Sharpay cut in after Brianna's so curt, 'that's stupid,' "I know you're not as strong as you make it seem you are."

"And you've been yourself this whole time?" I could feel myself losing control, "You go from nice to bitchy in a second!"

"Please. Going from nice to bitchy in a second? Shouldn't you know more about that kind of stuff than me?"

I couldn't feel my heart anymore; I couldn't think straight, I was only aware of my fingernails digging into my palms. "What did that book say? Obviously there's more going on than what you told me that first day here."

Brianna took a step forward, a cruel smile seeping its way onto her face. "It said, Ella, that you're a bipolar whore who whined about a perfect life."

"You don't know anything about that," I responded automatically and then turned on Sharpay, disbelief and anger filling my mood, "I can't believe you told her."

"…It was in my book," Sharpay explained after a moment of slight guilt, "It's my information to share."

"Why are you doing this?" I questioned. This was becoming a fight. And I wasn't even sure how any of it started. I wasn't sure how I started losing control and I wasn't sure why I was being attacked. I wasn't sure why I was fighting back. Was the answer so simple as…Willow Oak?

"Why am I doing this? You've been a bitch ever since you got back here!"

"So I'm a bitch for 10 minutes out of the entire time we're here. And you've been a bitch practically 24/7 and I deserve to be double-teamed in my room?"

"We're just trying to figure out who you really are." Sharpay pulled out of her ass.

"Yeah, you just disappeared for an hour," Brianna's voice that was gradually becoming my most hated sound in the universe backed up, "But you're supposed to be this goody goody girl. So what's going on with you?"

"Apparently you know a lot about what's going on with me." All my responses seemed programmed, I had no say in what I was saying… "Both of you. And you're using it against me."

"We're not using it against you." Sharpay defended.

"You're using it to hurt me."

"Just calling it like it is." That fist-clenching voice interrupted, "You're life was 10 times better than mine and you wanted out? Do you know how obnoxious that is? You're just a stuck up brat!"

I was still looking at Sharpay, though Brianna's words didn't bypass me, for Sharpay had the same look on her face that day when she made that silent peace with me in the hall. That was the first time we ever took that march to this room. "I didn't mean for it to come out the way Brianna said it." Sharpay started, as I continued to stare at her, "I really didn't mean for it to come out at all." She looked away from me embarrassed or ashamed, or something, "Sorry. I'm just frustrated."

I took a deep breath, felt my fingers falling from the fists they were locked in, and gained my control back.

I was about to talk to Sharpay calmly, about to attempt to end this ridiculous fight when Taylor's dull tones entered the room. I almost jumped, I hadn't noticed she was lying in her bed soundlessly this whole time. "We're all frustrated," she stated, "We've been here 10 days and we're already getting like this. This place is hurting more than it's helping."

"That's not true, Taylor."

"It is though, Gabriella. Ryan isn't getting any help with his detox process, Sharpay's been off alcohol for 10 days and nobodies helping her with that." From my peripherals I saw Sharpay shift uncomfortably, "You probably still have suicidal thoughts everyday. I'm going into hysterics at everything that reminds me of my past. Chad hates himself and what he's done. And Troy isn't changing at all."

"Taylor, it takes time."

"It takes _real _help, Gabriella!" Taylor got up from the bed, about to create a second confrontation.

"She's just bitchy from the field work she had to do." Sharpay declared, probably resentful that Taylor mentioned her problems with being off alcohol.

"You think I did field work!?" Taylor turned on her, demonstrating her hysterics deal perfectly, "You think they made me do field work!?!?"

At that I stopped all the thoughts colliding in my head. "What are you saying Taylor?"

"I _wish _I did fieldwork."

"What…" I looked at Sharpay who was staring at Taylor just as curiously and fearfully as me, and then Brianna who stared at Taylor as well, only, she was emotionless, "What did they have you do then?"

Taylor returned Brianna's blank stare. "Ask Brianna."

Slowly, just as slowly as Taylor made her way back to her bed, me and Sharpay looked at Brianna for an answer. Brianna shifted her emotionless stare towards us, never once breaking in her reply. "She's crazy. I have no idea what she's talking about."

Sharpay was convinced, I could tell. Taylor did portray all the signs of legit craziness and Brianna's voice seemed so sure, so falsely puzzled, afraid, and worried just like my face.

But I knew. I knew that tone. The tone of programmed answers, of lying to save yourself from hurt.

* * *

_Troy's PoV:_

The 11th day of hell was impending. And still, I wasn't worried about the flames, the torture, or the pain. I wasn't worried about the punishment. I didn't care at all. I didn't fear this place or Sloane and her pets. In fact, everything was the same since Day 1. I was bored, except when with Gabriella. I was emotionless, except when with Gabriella. I was cold, except when with Gabriella. I was me when with Gabriella.

Damn it, I reprimanded myself, how on earth am I going to get over this girl that refuses to take anything farther if I keep thinking about her? How am I going to save myself from inevitable hurt if I keep sprinting to the face of pain? Why did I care?

I kept asking. Kept thinking. Kept planning. But I never seemed to reach a resolve. The moment I thought this was it, I'm going to just be my molded, old, cold self when with Gabriella, her face would flash and those plans would be stripped from my mind. Every time I thought this is it, I'll keep trying, her indifferent words and expression strips those plans from my mind. I knew I needed to be around her, have some sort of contact with her. But I also knew I wanted this contact to be less then a friendship, barely anything. But I also knew that beside that feeling was one that wanted this contact to be one of love and passion. Of something completely unreal.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around my waist from behind and stopped my walk from the bathroom back to my room. I turned, already knowing it wasn't the girl I wished and at the same time wished it wasn't, here. Instead, it was some girl that evoked nothing within me, as they all do but one.

"Troy!" Sharpay Summer's energy reached my ears as she released my waist only to put her hands on my chest, "I'm so happy to see you! I haven't had a chance to be alone with you yet."

I stared at her light brown eyes, too light I couldn't help but critique, and felt nothing, despite how I tried to force myself to feel something. "We've had dinner together twice."

"Yeah, but we couldn't talk, really, because of that asshole."

I smirked. "Matt Spade."

"Yeah, him." She moved closer into me, trailing her fingers along my chest and abs.

I closed my eyes as her lips matched her fingers movements and trailed along my neck. "What are you doing?" I heard my calm voice ask. It shouldn't be calm. From the now eager way she sucked at my neck, it should be the opposite of calm. Except it was calm, because I felt nothing.

"I've been waiting 10 days to be alone with you." She replied in a low voice before vehemently biting at my neck again, leaving a mark that I wished wasn't hers. "My room was getting pretty heated. So, I stepped out when Gabriella decided to take a shower. I guess we both just wanted an escape. So she cleaned up like a good girl does and I came to the boys hall, like I do."

I wanted to roll my eyes. "Sharpay…" I said in that same normal voice, almost pushing her away if it wasn't for that small part of me screaming to just see if I eventually felt anything. To prove that if I did feel something, that Gabriella wasn't my soul mate or whatever pansy name I dubbed her with. That she was just a hot girl that caught my eye. That I was still the guy I made myself become in order to survive in that place I lived, in order to survive from my raging fears, in order to survive from the terror of loneliness, the horror of emptiness.

"You want to do this." Sharpay knocked me from my inner battle, as her hands traveled up my shirt, not missing an inch of muscle, "I know the kind of guy you are. Rule-breaking, careless, unpredictable…" she moved even more into me, allowing me to feel every part of her pressed up against every part of mine. "It's sexy." Nothing. But, how right she was. That was the kind of guy I was supposed to be. The exact opposite of dear old dad. That's who I am, that's who I have to stay if I ever want to live. Gabriella Montez refuses to like me then why should I be dedicated to her? Why should she be the only girl who makes me feel? Why should I be bound to her? Why?

Quickly, impulsively, without thinking. Just the way it should be, I attacked Sharpay's neck, moving my lips everywhere until I found the spot that made her moan my name, in a way that used to be one thing that got my blood boiling. The same way breaking the law did. The same way just thinking about Gabriella did.

Shit. The moment I thought of her name, I bit harder into Sharpay's neck. I couldn't still be thinking about her. I couldn't be. As if hearing my mind's conflict, Sharpay brushed her hand across my pants, but what she was expecting, what I was hoping for, was not there.

"What's wrong?" She asked, referring to the lack of excitement in my jeans.

I stopped my actions, and looked down at her, slightly stepping away. "Do you wanna, you know, talk or something?"

I swear it was like telling a 4 year old the Pythagorean Theorem by the confused look she gave me. "Talk…"

"Yeah, you know, about stuff." Stuff like feelings, and letting people in, and fear.

"No, I don't want to _talk_." She said, and took a step closer as I took one back.

"Oh." I stated and then said again, "Not even to yell at me, or insult me or something?" Like about the kind of guy I am, about my cockiness and stupidity. "Or sarcastically attack me?"

"Why would I do that?" She asked, still portraying that 4 year old look, "You're hot."

"Well," I said, not really paying attention to her anymore, instead black curls and sad, yet determined eyes painted my mind, "Because I'm cocky and you're hotheaded and you refuse to give in to a jackass like me. So you insult me, despite being the nice girl we all know you are."

"Is this some sort of joke?" Sharpay asked, somewhat pissed, more confused as ever.

"No," I said, Gabriella's image slowly fading, "Sorry, just thinking of other…things. I guess." Apparently that was enough reason for Sharpay because almost immediately she jumped on me, unzipping my jeans and kissing my jaw. I wanted to push her away. I could feel my hands trembling with the absolute desire to just shove her off. But I wanted to make myself enjoy this. I should be enjoying this! I can't be a pussy who's whipped while not even being with the girl in the first place! I can't feel so strongly about her. I can't because she's already hurting me. Just imagine what'll happen when I get too close. But…does that make me scared? I don't get scared either.

I was so confused. More so than Sharpay with the 'Pythagorean Theorem.' I think it was that confusion, that jumble, heap, collision of feelings from my thoughts on Gabriella that I did what I did. I think that's why I so abruptly kissed Sharpay, knowing nothing but the feel of lips on mine. And it was that utter lack of emotions, but maybe not just an utter lack, but a sensation of disgusting, repelling repulsions from the feeling of kissing another girl, some girl that wasn't my girl, that I pulled away and shoved off.

I was wrong. I shouldn't be fighting this. I should be fighting anything that stops this. Us. Me and Gabriella. "I can't do this, Barbie." I said while stepping around her to head for the girls dorms.

"What!?"

"I gotta go."

I had Sharpay to thank for that epiphany. The one that showed me I couldn't stop this. And that I didn't want to stop this. I was stuck to Gabriella Montez.

* * *

**Please Review!!!! It'll make me update faster because I'll know that people are reading =)**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	12. I'm Yours

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. i do not own the _Broken Wing_ series either.

**Title**: Foolin' the World

**A/N: **please please please tell me what you think and review about this chapter =) i appreciate it greatly. oh and just a fyi the beginning/end structure to this chapter is similar to last chapter's because initially i was going to have them both one chapter but figured i'd get it out faster if i just split it. i'm still not sure if i'm completely happy with doing that but anyways, please review =)

I'm Your's

_Narrator_

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Troy heard the sound of his heart pounding against his chest repeatedly. A sound he was so unaccustomed to. But when thinking about Gabriella? Yeah, of course his heart would go haywire then. The train crashing, bombs exploding, wires crossing kind of haywire that is.

But overall he was nervous for what he was about to do. Troy Bolton nervous? Nonsense. Troy Bolton nervous about confessing his love and not taking a "we can't do this" as an answer from Gabriella Montez? Self-explanatory.

Troy was waiting in the girls bathroom for Gabriella, whom Sharpay had previously informed him was taking a shower to escape whatever drama went down in their room. Girl after girl had come in and gone out. They had either threatened to bust Troy or had come on to Troy. Neither had affected him, all he could think about was Gabriella and what she would say. How hard would it be to make her open her eyes to what they had? And his greatest fear, was it just impossible to do so?

"Troy!?"

Instantly Troy's anxious body turned to face a towel clad Gabriella Montez. "Gabriella, hey, listen, I need to talk to you." Troy said rushing over to stand a foot away from the girl who conquered his mind. He didn't even notice her exposed body, as he was too excited and nervous to finally see her and finally be able to talk about everything on his mind. He went over everything in his head, went over every word and hopefully every response that she would have. Something he never did. Troy Bolton was never thoughtful before doing something. Yet the word 'never' didn't have much meaning when Gabriella was involved.

"I'm in a towel!" Gabriella exclaimed, clinging the towel closer around her wet body.

Troy's eyes widened and lowered to her body to see if this was true, before quickly returning to looking at her irritated, shocked face. "Well under any other circumstances, I'd be freaking and being a perv and jackass and whatever. But right now I need to talk to you."

It was Gabriella's coffee orbs that widened in surprise this time. "No." She defied.

"You owe me one moment of fun."

Glancing toward the door and then back at Troy, Gabriella sighed, realizing once again he was blocking her only exit. "Fine, talk. But talking counts as the fun. Nothing else is gonna happen." She said, giving him critical eyes.

Troy couldn't help but smirk, even though he assumed that was her least favorite trait of his. "I know nothing like that is gonna happen."

"The second you even make me want to call you Jack, you're gone."

Behind his usual smirk, Troy was secretly smiling a genuine smile. In just that brief encounter with Sharpay, Troy had missed being insulted and criticized by Gabriella. Just talking to her, and her proving to be everything Troy saw about her, made him astoundingly elated about his decision to give up. He was elated to encounter the possibilities their feelings, his new, unfamiliar feelings and her explosive, yet locked feelings, could bring. The possibilities were endless and so...unpredictable.

"Troy…?" Gabriella continued when Troy's thoughts carried him away, "You said you wanted to-"

Suddenly he placed his hands on Gabriella's bare shoulders, making her jump a little at the feeling of his skin on hers. "We are going to get to know each other." He abruptly exclaimed.

"What?" She asked, shrugging his hands off.

"We're going to get to know each other so well it scares the world." Troy declared, "And we'll be the closest of friends knowing practically everything about each other but not so much that we get boring," Gabriella didn't know if she should laugh at his joke or worry about his earnestness, "Then you'll finally admit you're love for me, despite all the thoughts in your head telling you, you shouldn't love me," Gabriella started to worry, "Then," he smiled, "in the end, we'll live crazily ever after."

"Troy…" she shook her head in disagreement and bewilderment, "I-"

"I'm giving up, Sunshine," he interrupted.

"What?"

"I'm done trying to fight this power that chose us as soul mates."

"Soul mates!" Gabriella laughed in disbelief.

"And you should stop to," he went on ignoring her disdainful tone, "Just give in for once. Stop running from your feelings, stop running from this power, and stop running from me."

"Troy," she replied now serious instead of laughing at his ridiculous comment about soul-mates, "Out of everything I'm running from, you are not one of them."

"Really…" Troy said this time in his own disbelief, "Do you like me, Gabriella?"

"What?"

"Do you care about me?"

"I tolerate you, Bolton," Gabriella said in the same mocking tone as before.

Troy shook his head much like she had a moment ago, "But you need me, right?"

"Troy…"

"If you care about me, honestly have these feelings I have for you for me, then I really want to get to know you. I think…" he paused closing his eyes for a split second and then opening them with so much passion Gabriella was sent around the world and back, breathless, "I think we could be meant to be. I think I could really, really love you. I know you're scared of me," he said with a slight smile showing, "But shit, Gabi, I've never felt this way before. I've never felt anything before, until you walked in that door." Troy finished, his voice filling the air with such intensity a balloon would burst just from being in such climate.

The intensity built as Troy waited for Gabriella to speak. And finally, she managed to open her mouth and say, "You called me, Gabi."

Troy wanted to scream. It was hard enough for him to say these things but with Gabriella having responses like 'you called me Gabi?' This was going to be difficult.

Troy sighed instead of screaming. "I'm scared too, Gabi. I'm scared of getting close to you, of doing something about this love that I already feel, and then having you ripped away from me. I'm scared of what feelings that'll bring. But this fear isn't holding me back. I'm so afraid, but I'm here."

Gabriella nodded at his last words and he could've sworn she said, "I'm glad."

"I'm falling in love with everything about you, Gabi." He said encouraged now, "Your smile, your laugh. Your beauty that you don't even seem to care about having. The way you scrunch your face when you're thinking. How you bite your bottom lip when you're nervous. How…" Troy took a breath, calming his raging thoughts, "Even when you are nervous you're still so brave. How you can be so brave yet so in need of help. I'm falling in love with the way you're so sweet yet so strong. So strong, yet so vulnerable. I'm falling in love with you." This time Troy stopped because he saw Gabriella needed a breath.

"Gabi, if we decide to do this, this love thing. If you let me, I could really, truly love you with everything I am for everything you are. The handholding, two straws, dancing in the rain kind of love. I already feel it happening, and I don't need years of experience to know that this is the best feeling I'll ever feel in a thousand lifetimes. And I'm not going to let that feeling go wasted."

Again Troy waited for Gabriella to find the breath to speak. And when she did he was again exceedingly disappointed. "You keep calling me Gabi."

"And I'll call you bitch if you don't say something other than that." Immediately Troy slapped himself figuratively for his words.

"Thanks, Bolton. Way to ruin everything sweet and caring you said in just two seconds."

"You think I'm sweet and caring?"

"I think you're full of it."

"And?" Troy pursued, knowing there was more she wanted to say but wasn't sure she should say it.

"And, maybe, I-" She stopped, realizing she was falling for his trap.

"Maybe, you…"

Gabriella didn't know what she was thinking. She was trying all her might to turn her heart against Troy Bolton. And maybe it wasn't just because he was reckless, maybe that was just an excuse she found to make reason for her fear. Gabriella was too scared to open her heart again, to anyone. And Troy counted as someone. "Maybe I," she said, now her determined even stubborn self returned, "Just don't like you."

"Fine." Troy replied quickly, relieved to hear her at least say something relatively relevant to what he was talking so passionately about, "You don't have to like me."

Gabriella's back stiffened, "You're so confusing."

"As long as you love me." Troy finished.

And Gabriella felt a push inside her. A surge of emotions that wanted to break free with the strength of a waterfall, the power of a volcanic eruption, "Bolton, you're insane!" She started, taking a step back, "How am I supposed to love you!?"

Blue eyes rolled and a bronze arm lifted to run a hand through its chestnut hair. Exasperated with Gabriella, yet falling for her harder every second she resisted him, Troy replied in an incredibly low, sexy voice. "I'll say it again, then," he took two steps forward, "You make me feel, Gabi. You make me feel alive. The things I did to get me in this place, I did them because I get this rush, this excitement when I do. I feel and I'm human when I do those things. But with you…" Those same blue eyes peered into Gabriella's, if it were possible, lightning would be surging from the gaze, "I get those incredible feelings ten fold just from talking to you. Just from being with you I feel excitement, anxiety, nerves. I get rushes, I feel everything and more. So what's the point of doing those things when I have you? What's the point of doing anything if I don't have you? I'm not a guy running from his fears anymore. I'm not lost and conflicted. I'm just left with me. I'm just me when I'm with you, and I like it, a lot. I'm scared to be so free and so vulnerable. To be me but feel so unfamiliar with me at the same time. I'm afraid to be able to love you so much. But I always will, because the thing I'm most scared about?" Troy took another step forward, and while experiencing the excitement and nerves he just described, he hesitantly took Gabriella's almost paralyzed hands into his, "Is going a day without you with me."

If Gabriella hadn't been stricken unmoving before, she was utterly paralyzed now. Her eyes refused to leave the blue oceans they so absolutely loved, strength like the force of gravity. It was like his words created a gust of wind that blew every thought from her head and every action from her body. Everything about Troy that she reasoned was bad and figured as blatant warnings to stay away, now looked like lovely invitations. Inviting her to jump in headfirst, eyes closed, heart in her hand. Open to be loved or destroyed.

Troy moved even closer and held Gabriella's hands tightly in front of them. "Say something, Gabi."

And she did. She said the only thing that came to mind. She said it without thinking, without weighing consequences of saying such a thing. She said it because it was the truth and she was done lying to herself.

"You give me a reason to live, Troy."

It was as if his world literally imploded. At least that's how his heart felt when he heard her words.

It was as if a light was spreading its way through his entire body. At least that's how he felt from the gleaming grin on his face.

It was perfect, meant to be. That's how it was.

Gabriella felt it too. She was more scared than ever, for the truth being exposed to him and herself. She didn't know what was going to happen next.

And that's why she ripped her hands from Troy's loving grasp and took three frantic steps back, her eyes seeping fear into Troy's body. His amazing feelings never left, but fear did seem to overpower them for a moment as well. Was she really still being this stubborn?

"Gabi…" He tried to get closer again, closer by stepping forward and closer through their hearts.

"No! This can't be happening!"

"Why not?"

"I…I don't even know your favorite color Troy!"

"And I don't know your favorite food, Gabriella! It doesn't change the fact that I have these…indescribable feelings for you!"

"Stop it! That's my point! Things are moving so fast! I don't even know you and we're…"

As much as Troy wanted to protest instantly to Gabriella's repetitive worries, he waited for what she was about to describe them as.

"Everything is so strange, Troy!"

"Well, me and you…" Troy said, sending blue fire to Gabriella, "Everything about us is so strange. Why should something being strange matter?"

"Because I need things to be normal! Because we're so…" Again Gabriella stopped from finishing her statement.

"Second time you've done that. We're so what?"

"Stupid! How can we be professing our undying feelings for each other when we don't even know each other!?"

"Because that's the way things have to be!"

Gabriella's voice calmed, "What?"

"I need to know you care about me. That you do have feelings for me before I get to know you, before I get too close to you."

"But how would I know I feel that way when I don't even know you? How do I know that this isn't just a lie?"

"Because you're strange." He answered with a sly smirk.

"Troy, I'm serious. We're doing everything wrong, we're…"

Troy smiled. He knew he had her. She had already pretty much admitted everything he sensed about her feelings. Now her attempts were purely amusing.

"How could you possibly be smiling?" She asked with an impatient tone to her voice.

"You really are very strange."

"That's getting old."

"You do love me."

If Troy got paid for throwing people off, he'd be richer than her family.

"I'm sorry, what!?"

"That's why you're so scared," Troy explained confidently, "Why you're freaking. Because you love me and you don't know me. What you don't know scares you, right?"

Gabriella opened her mouth to protest but closed it slowly as his words settled in her mind. He was absolutely right.

"Well Jesus Gabriella," he continued smirking, "I'm flattered. I gotta say it's gonna be a great adventure loving you. I say no to a wedding, none of that rice throwing, aisle walking, cake cutting crap. Instead, skip that, and go straight to the honeymoon. And not in cliché Hawaii or Fiji. Let's go to Australia. Or we don't even need to do that. An old motel by the road would work. Hell, the road would even work."

Gabriella was slowly giving in. Maybe it was how he could make her laugh so easily that her wall was gradually crumbling. "They don't throw rice anymore."

"No?" Troy's lips slowly shifted from the smirk that seemed planted there and formed the breathtaking, heart-stopping smile that finally pushed Gabriella over the wall she built for herself to keep her safe and in control. Her feelings were now free. And her demons were now free.

"No. It got to be too strange."

Troy's smile grew at that. "Huh. No kidding. Well then if we did have a wedding maybe we should do the rice throwing."

He took a step forward and although Gabriella had reached a resolve and given in, she still took a step back.

"You really are scared, aren't you?" he asked in the most caring voice Gabriella had ever heard. Not even her father had such a caring tone perfected like Troy surprisingly did.

"You said it yourself," she practically whispered, "What I don't know scares me, Troy."

In a matching hushed voice, Troy replied, "There's not a reason to everything Gabriella."

"There has to be. Without them…" Gabriella started to breath roughly, "I'm…" She paled slightly, "He's…" The face that conquered her dreams and turned them into nightmares took over her thoughts. That dark face that turned her world so equally dark, was managing to effortlessly send her back to the darkness now.

And Troy noticed.

And Troy stopped it from happening.

And Troy saved her from depression once again.

"Black." He said suddenly.

Gabriella's thoughts snapped back to Troy at his one word. The word that was the name of her ex-boyfriend. The name that haunted her relentlessly. "What?" she choked out.

Troy shrugged, no smile evident on his face, "Black's my favorite color. Maybe gray…" Troy stopped to think now. Truly pondering what his favorite color was, the funny look on his face steadily bringing a burst of light, just like the one that broke through the darkness out in the field, into Gabriella's vision. "Brown? No definitely gray now that I think about it."

"I thought I was the depressed one." She smiled, the light now sweeping over the darkness like wind carrying away leaves.

Troy frowned at that, not liking to think of Gabriella as 'the depressed one.' "Well what's yours?" He asked in desperation to change the subject as well as curiosity.

"Red."

Troy silently laughed at her quick reply and nodded, that fact already being stored in his brain dedicated just to her, as was his heart. "Ok. Can I ask something?"

"You're asking permission?" Gabriella's smile grew in amusement. It was strange being around Troy, she was right about that. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder months and months ago. It had ruined her. Yet being with Troy. It was a quicker change of moods than she's ever experienced and it made her feel…_good_. As he would say, it made her feel alive. He made her feel amazing.

"You feel it don't you?" Troy asked quietly, as if he was reading her thoughts.

"Feel what?" She asked, pretending to be confused even though she was pretty sure she knew what he was asking. She was just thinking about it after all. She was constantly experiencing it after all.

He took two steps closer and they were back to being in breath-mixing distance from each other. The electricity surfaced, as usual.

Blue bore into brown. Gabriella was so transfixed by his eyes she didn't even realize he parted his lips to speak. His answer to her question filling her ears like lightning piercing the ground.

"This." He said, referring to the euphoric wrenching Gabriella's and his insides were doing from being so close to one another.

A few seconds passed of Gabriella just studying Troy's blues, while focusing on her feelings, something she promised to never do again. Until finally she took a couple deep breaths and gave her answer. Another one of truth. "Yes. I do. I feel it and it scares me."

"I know." Troy replied without hesitating, "But sometimes fear is just keeping you from something great. Sometimes," He paused, "Its just there to fool you."

Gabriella, instead of looking away like she would have any other day, just continued their stare, not knowing what to say.

"Another question," said Troy.

Gabriella, instead of holding back her soft laugh like she would have done any other day, just let it out, not wanting to fight any emotion that entered her when around Troy anymore. "What?" she giggled.

"Aren't you hot?" the smirk returned and so Gabriella instantly prepared to roll her eyes, "'Cause feel free to take that towel off. I won't feel uncomfortable."

Immediately a deep red shaded her face. She had completely forgotten she was only in a towel. The only thing she was focused on was Troy and his unbelievable words. She almost got lost in thought of everything that was said that day, but her flaming face reminded her to stay focused. Gabriella instantly marveled at the feeling of heat on her cheeks. Before she had admitted her love for Troy, blushing was never an issue. But now, now that she gave in to her love and Troy did as well, she was finding herself blushing around him a lot. Still, she wouldn't let such obvious evidence of the affect he now had on her stop her from showing the strength Troy admired.

"We'll get to know each other starting tomorrow, then Jack." She walked past Troy, not daring to glance at him for fear that glance would turn into hours of gazing.

"Aw! Don't be like that!" he cried to his love's retreating figure.

She turned the knob and opened the door. "Bye Bolton."

"Gabi! Be nice! You love me remember!?"

"Get back to your room before we're in trouble."

She smiled and took a step out of the room and closed the door. Her love's parting, "C'mon Gabi!" being the last thing she heard before taking the seemingly brighter walk back to her room.

That was the first time she'd hear him say that. That miraculous phrase "C'mon Gabi." That was the first time she heard it, right after her decision to act on their love. It seemed fit that, that's when she'd hear those words that saved her from everything she was afraid of. The moment she decided to fall in love with her greatest fear.

And Boom. Boom. Boom.

Gabriella heard the sound of her heart pounding against her chest repeatedly. A sound she knew so well. But out of love? Yeah, she figured she was in love. The forehead kissing, moonlit walks, balcony climbing kind of love that is.

**Review Review Review =)**


	13. Author's Note: Update Coming Soon!

Guys! I am sooooo so so so so (there's not enough room for the amount of so's I want to express!) SORRY for the huge huge huge (same thing as the so's) delay!!!!!! I know I lost a lot of readers for however long this wait has been and I know I lost a lot of faith and whatnot too, but to be honest I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this story or fanfiction in general for that matter. But I am and I swear the next chapter will be up sometime today or tomorrow! Annnnd to make up for my extreme lack of posting and hopefully to gain back some of my old readers and maybe even some new ones, I'll be having a posting marathon, and working my butt off in order to post a new chapter at least once every three days! So please keep checking in and please please keep reviewing even if it's to yell at me for my stupidity =) Sorry again.

Melissa


	14. Fall For You

Title: Foolin the World

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to High School Musical or Disney, any songs or familiar names/places that may appear are not mine either. I do not own the _Broken Wing_ series either

**A/N: Soooo sorry for the wait, but please don't give up on me or this story. I'd love to hear what you think, please review and tell friends. **

Fall For You

Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez. Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton.

Already loving each other, continuing to fall in love harder every day. Gabriella's emotions seemed to flame when Troy was near. He was a light that cast itself over her darkness. A star in the night sky that wasn't put out like all the others, instead burning so bright it might even hurt. He was Troy Bolton and he was hers.

Troy actually had emotions when Gabriella was near and that was something amazing in itself. She was special, the reason for his life he realized. She gave him a part of himself, she gave him feelings, without her, he wasn't full. She was Gabriella Montez and she was his.

And yet…

"You're doing it wrong, Troy!!" Gabriella complained for the third time that morning.

"I'm doing it my way, Gabi," came Troy's repetitive reply as he continued making breakfast.

"And it's the wrong way!"

"Jesus girl," Troy stated while turning his head to send blue flames her way, something that never failed to make Gabriella's heart leap a thousand times or more in one second, "One week of dating sure didn't take the rigid outta your ass."

"Well Jack," Gabriella stiffened as she retorted, so angry that if possible, steam would be pouring out of her ears, "One week of dating sure didn't put the kindness in yours."

It had been going on for one week. One week since that fateful day in the bathroom and Troy and Gabi had been arguing over almost everything. Troy, enjoying the new explorations he now had at finding himself, or rather Gabriella showing him himself, was unbelievably more happy. He smiled constantly, always touched Gabriella in some way, staying connected, and he would randomly ask her a question about herself. Typical sweet, perfect boyfriend. Except for one thing.

Troy usually didn't accept Gabriella's answers.

It was known from the beginning. They were opposites. Troy was loud, abrasive, and carefree, easygoing. Gabriella was sweet, determined, and careful, uptight even. And so when the 'get to know each other process' begun, clashes were bound to happen.

"_Okay," Troy said as he and Gabi were shoveling manure in the barn, "Who's your favorite actor?" _

_Gabriella's eyebrows scrunched in thought, and Troy stopped his gut wrenching work to gaze at the face he fell asleep thinking of every night. "Channing Tatum." Gabriella finally decided._

_Troy's eyebrows matched Gabriella's, only his were from puzzlement. "Who?"_

"_He was in Step Up," Troy's face remained the same and so Gabriella explained further, "A dance movie?"_

"_Oh. Of course, a dance movie," Troy stuck his shovel in the reeking pile of dirt, "That's lame, you can't even call that real acting."_

_If it was any other day, Gabriella would've let that slide. If it was any other person she would've let that slide. If Troy hadn't broken down the wall that caged her emotions, that built her control, she would've let that slide. But now, she argued back, her emotions free. So it wasn't just her usual calm reply, sturdy, cool, yet effective. No, she was upset and set on showing just how wrong Troy was. "Channing Tatum is a genius!"_

_Troy smiled, never getting tired of Gabriella's recent enthusiasm about things. He thought he couldn't enjoy being around her any more but once she let her feelings out, once he saw that part of her that she hid, he was completely taken. He knew. It was like magnetism, binding him to her. _

"_A genius? Or eye candy?"_

"_Both." Gabriella said immediately, her arms crossed and hot browns on Troy's once again smiling face._

"_Translation, he's just got looks. Can't act for his life."_

_Gabriella's mouth hung in shock and almost personal offense, "No! He's a genius and good looking! Plus he can dance!" _

_Troy held back a laugh, his mouth forming that irresistible line Gabriella never could stop looking at. "Right, right." Troy waved her off in his 'whatever' manner. But she knew the thoughts that were raging in his head. Thoughts that put down her favorite actor and dancer._

"_Well I'm not surprised you can't see a good looking, smart actor when you see one. After all, having looks and brains isn't exactly your forte." _

_The words left Gabriella's smiling-from-pride mouth, and instantly that smile turned into a scream as she found herself being grabbed around the waist and flung into piles and piles of hay._

"There's only so many ways you can make pancakes wrong." Troy said while taking out a spatula.

"And trust me, you're doing it wrong!"

"Mix it up, pour it on, flip it when it's ready. Easier done than said."

"Yeah," Gabriella started slowly, making Troy look at her, which really wasn't hard to do at all, "But you mixed it up, didn't spray the pan, and then proceeded to pour the mix into one giant pile on the pan. How will you flip that, Troy?"

"Proceeded?" Troy smirked.

"It means to go on."

"You always do that!" Troy complained referring to how Gabriella always assumed Troy had a lack of necessary brain cells present, "Haven't you learned by now that I'm just mocking how you speak?"

"The way I speak."

"Seriously?" Troy asked as Gabriella crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him, his heart pounding at the small motion, "Okay, I guess you're serious. No surprise there." He mumbled the last part.

"If I'm too serious, go be with someone else."

"Gabi," Troy looked at her, his joking smile shining but his blue pools giving away the sincerity in his statement, "That's like telling water not to be wet."

Gabriella smiled, while taking the spatula from Troy before he hurt himself or everyone within a 10-mile radius of him, "Then don't complain, Troy."

He sighed, knowing he couldn't fight her when she said his name like that, or his name at all, "Yes ma'am."

* * *

"So you and Gabriella seem to be the new me and Sharpay." Ryan stated, amusement eating away at his eyes as he sat across from Troy, immediately digging in to his plate of carelessly prepared food.

"Really." Troy said. His response's monotony not hidden by the food in his mouth.

"Yeah. You've gotten in a fight about you're bad behavior, her good behavior, you're laziness, her perfectness, how to cook, how to talk, just about everything."

Troy smiled, who knows why. Probably just from being on the topic of Gabriella. It was strange, Troy thought, that we're arguing more. But hey, debating is fun, it's what attracted me to Gabriella. She's a challenge, and I love that about her. "Well I'm trying to enlighten her."

"Right cause she needs enlightening from you."

"I definitely don't need enlightening from her."

"Sure cause she's not like an angel," Ryan stated not hiding his infatuation for Gabriella the slightest, "And you the devil."

What the hell. Troy instantly recited in his head. Fucking Evans should not be thinking of fucking my Gabi. Instantly his fist clenched an iron grip around his fork.

"She reads in her free time!" Troy suddenly said, fuming, jealous and hoping to turn Ryan off of his one and truly only love, "She thinks James Bond was a movie for explosion-obsessed imbeciles! She listens to songs sung by Mandy Moore and Kelly Clarkson! She'd rather read about someone having fun than going out and having fun herself. She finds basketball a game with no art to it at all, yet she can't even make a decent free throw! She thinks anything involving fun is idiotic and reckless, dumb and stupid, and pointless and dangerous! So sure," Troy said, calming a bit, "I should learn from her."

Ryan's eyes matched the size of the pancakes on his plate. No one knew of Gabriella's and Troy's relationship. And it was hard to guess they were in one from what Ryan said about the arguing. But anyone truly insightful would see the looks they gave each other, the smiles, and touches that emitted destined love.

"Um…" Ryan said, confused and not knowing what to say.

"So then Bolton," a sudden voice joined, "Why do you love her so much?" Two hands clamped down on Troy's shoulders.

"Danforth!" Troy jumped, "What the hell?"

"Scared ya?" Chad chimed, his always-persistent grin making Troy grimace even more.

"No, unless you count that hair and cheesy smile," Troy remarked.

"You love her?" Ryan asked, bitterly astonished.

"You didn't notice?" Chad said cheerily, sitting down next to Troy, his arm still around him making it impossible for Troy to move away, "They're a couple now."

"A couple?"

"Well we're seeing each other." Troy corrected.

"They're," Chad whispered to Ryan leaning across the table causing Troy to slightly move forward too due to Chad's invading arm, "In. Love."

"Wow." Ryan said, his eyes growing even bigger, "I uh didn't know."

"Oh it's big love," Chad exclaimed while stretching his arms and yawning as he continued, softly placing his arm back to its home on Troy's shoulder, "Saw it from a mile away."

"Danforth…" Troy started as a fair warning, brushing his obnoxious hand away from his personal space.

"So then," Chad interrupted placing his hand back on Troy's shoulder, Troy's arms itched to swing around and connect with Chad's bushy head, "Why do you love her dude?"

"I…" Troy resisted the urge to beat Chad, "Don't love her." The words came out almost mutilated, through gritted teeth, not sounding like English at all to Troy's ears, being so completely false.

"Sure." Chad said.

"You love her?" Ryan asked again, not able to grasp the idea.

"He totally does."

"Look," Troy started again, hoping to convince Chad otherwise and keep Ryan in the dark "I don't…"

Chad cut in, his voice carrying across the cafeteria, "Cannn youu feeel the lovvvve tonighhhhtttt…" he sang.

"Chad…" Troy said, almost ready to pounce.

"The Beautyyyy," Chad sang on while waving his arms in Gabriella's direction on the girl's side of the cafeteria and then placing his hands back on Troy as he sang, "annnd the Beasst…"

"Dude…" Troy's fists clenched waiting for the moment to attack.

"A whole new world," Chad carried on, fully immersed in his songs, "A dazzling place you never knew, but when you're locked up here, it's crystal clear, that…"

"Danforth!"

"You," Chad patted Troy's back, reciting Hercules, "won't say you're in love."

"Oh my god!"

"Kiss the girl, dude!"

"You love her?" asked Ryan again.

"A dream is a wish your heart makes…" sang Chad.

"I can't believe you love her…" said Ryan.

"It's the Bare necessities, simple bare necessities…" sang Chad, getting lost in Disney music.

"You seriously love her?" said Ryan.

"Okay!" Troy exclaimed while putting his hands up in attempt to make both his roommates and borderline friends shut up, "So maybe Gabi's beautiful, and smart, and talented. She's kind and she's confident in ways that she doesn't even see herself. She's hotheaded and stubborn. She's challenging," Troy continued getting lost himself, "Her favorite food is chocolate, her favorite place on earth is the beach, she hates flying, she obviously loves to sing and dance, she has her whole life planned out after getting out of here, she actually plans on getting out of here…she…"

"Woah! Slow down there Romeo!!!" Chad almost yelled, his enthusiasm too much for Troy to handle.

"You love her." Ryan said solemnly, now convinced, "We get it."

Troy didn't have time to analyze the sadness in Ryan's tone, for his eyes were on a black haired beauty across the cafeteria. His blues connected to her coffees, which were laughing and puzzled at what was going on over there and why Chad Danforth was singing Disney love songs, and the Bare Necessities for all of Willow Oak to shudder at. Troy shrugged in response and Gabriella shook her head, a smile settled on her blissful face, as she lifted her fork with pancake to her mouth, never lowering her eyes from Troy's distant gaze.

"I think she'd be perfect for me." Troy whispered to himself.

* * *

"You're WITH TROY!?"

"Yeah, well, I mean I guess we're just dating."

"Yeah but a guy like Troy Bolton DATING, is the same as being engaged!!!!! Cause you know a guy like him has never been in a real relationship before."

"You can't just judge him like that," Gabriella said, trying her best to hide her anger at Sharpay's judgmental behavior. It was tough to hide her feelings, and even harder to not feel them at all without her ever-reliable wall present. And Sharpay was not making it easy.

"Why? He's the playboy, the bad boy, the smokin' hot boy. Easy enough."

"He's so much more though," Gabriella argued, flames slowly reaching her brown eyes either from rage or passion…or both.

"Uh oh. She has those eyes," Sharpay exclaimed.

"She has that smile," gushed Kelsi.

"You love him!" They screamed, pointing their fingers at Gabriella as if accusing her of a crime.

"He's just so…" Gabriella trailed off, so many adjectives colliding in her blissful head, "funny." She decided.

"The funny guy! Forgot that one."

"He's so confident," Gabriella said wistfully.

"Arrogant," Sharpay corrected, flipping her hair back.

"So free and easygoing."

"Careless and reckless."

"He's so observant and caring."

"Checking you out and flirting?" Sharpay asked this time, not sure where observant and caring came from at all.

"He's so deep and sweet," Gabriella continued, sighing.

Silence filled the girls table. Not even Sharpay could muster up a correction for that description.

"So amazing!"

"Wow." Sharpay said, staring at Gabriella, "This…is serious."

"He really wants to visit Australia, he loves animals and nature, he thinks M&Ms are overrated and too simple, he obviously loves basketball, his favorite thing about himself are his hands, he likes art and poetry, he can't dance, he gets sea sick, he has a wild imagination and can occupy himself just by the thoughts in his head, he doesn't know what he's going to do before he goes to bed let alone in the future, he…"

"Slow down, Eve!" Sharpay yelled, throwing her hands up in a fashion that had neighboring tables glancing at her.

"How do you know so much about him?" Kelsi asked, a sweet smile on her face. You don't get much love in a place like Willow Oak.

"Yeah," Sharpay said again, her voice still very loud, "The most I know about Ryan and Chad are their last names!"

"Why do you know so much about him?" Kelsi asked again, after thinking about the consequences that could befall her friend and Troy Bolton.

"Yeah you've known him for like 2 weeks!" Sharpay yelled.

"We've been rushing the get to know each other process I guess," Gabriella said, taking another bite of her burnt pancake.

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's pretty much all we do when we have time. Ask questions and get to know each other."

"That's sweet." Kelsi said, her heads ridden with different thoughts. Thoughts of punishment and consequences.

"Why!?" yelled Sharpay again, on cue.

"He says he wants to be best friends and know everything about me."

"So cute."

"And you want to too?"

"No." Gabriella shook her head, "I have a best friend."

"Ouch."

"I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I like him, I do," And it feels so good to finally admit it… "I just don't want him to take the place of my best friend."

"The one that turned against you?"

"Sharpay…" Kelsi said, looking at Gabriella to see if she was all right.

"No it's okay. I figured she knew."

"Sorry…" grumbled Sharpay.

"So why do you ask questions then?" questioned Kelsi, hoping to change the subject.

"So I know more about him. So I can become less scared of him. So he gets less unpredictable."

"And is that working?"

"If anything it's making me more scared. Everything new I learn about him, everything unexpected that I learn. It makes me feel like I don't know anything about him and everything I thought I knew is wrong."

"Then maybe him being dangerous is wrong too." Kelsi offered, sensing the stress in Gabriella's angelic voice.

"No he's dangerous." A dismal voice came from down the table. "He's definitely dangerous."

"Taylor?" Kelsi said shocked. Taylor hadn't said much that day, heck, she hasn't said much for a week.

"You should end it now before he rips your heart apart." Taylor said and got up abruptly stalking off to her buddy. Gabriella stared after her, her painful words uncontrollably resounding in her head, settling in her heart.

"Gabs, she's been out of it recently. You know that." Kelsi reassured.

"Crazy bitch, that's for sure." Sharpay reiterated.

"Yeah," Gabriella said quietly, still looking after Taylor, "I guess."

* * *

**So there's that chapter, sorry again for the humungous unforgiveable wait!!! Don't worry, there'll be more TxG interaction and cuteness coming and more drama as well. I'm not sure when other character's backgrounds will be told, maybe before or after Troy's and Gabriella's. Still deciding. Let me know which you'd prefer to hear first. Thanks!**

**Review please!**


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